Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. It would be of great assistance to the office if all incoming papers pertaining to a filed application carried the following items:
i. Application number (checked for accuracy, including series code and serial no.).
ii. Group art unit number (copied from most recent Office communication).
iii. Filing date.
iv. Name of the examiner who prepared the most recent Office action.
v. Title of invention.
vi. Confirmation number (See MPEP § 503).
3. The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages, paragraph and figures may apply. Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
4. Claim interpretation: When multiple limitations are connected with “OR”, one of the limitations doesn’t have any patentable weight since both of the limitations are optional.
Claim Rejection- 35 USC § 103
5. 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 of this title, 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 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tramoni et al (Pub No. 2021/0328625) and further in view of Gu et al (Pub No. 9544853).
Regarding claim 1, Tramoni et al discloses a method for adapting a threshold for a near field communication (NFC) system (Abstract: NFC device threshold adjustment based on other device detection), the NFC system comprising a NFC device transmitting a signal via an antenna and receiving a signal via the antenna (Para. 41 & 44: Multiple NFC devices transmit and receive signals by NFC antenna), wherein the NFC device is kept in a detection mode and checks for a signal to be received (Para. 42-43 & 145: NFC device in active mode. NFC device detect any NFC signals in the range), wherein the NFC device is transferred into an active read mode when the signal received exceeds a predefined threshold value (Para. 53-55: High signal threshold[Wingdings font/0xE0] device 100A switches to active mode. Fig. 2: polling frames 202 is above threshold, device 100A is activated to nearby NFC card detected) & (Para. 76 & 80: high state device 100A detects another NFC device), the method comprising: a) performing an identification procedure to determine the cause for the change from the detection mode to the active read mode (Para. 52-55: amplitude change[Wingdings font/0xE0] device 100A switches to active mode & Para. 144-146: determine change-determine amplitude burst/ change. Amplitude of the bursts 252 of the confirmation mode 250, the emitting device 100A switches to the active mode from standby mode. Standby mode-Emit bursts to active mode); and b) increasing the threshold value and returning to the detection mode if the change to the active read mode was unintended (Fig. 8 & 10: read mode was unintended[Wingdings font/0xE0] false detection. System determine S704- false detection, S706- WKUP mode/ active & S708-NFC to increase MW/ PW threshold) & (Para. 133 & 136 & 120-122).
Tramoni et al is silent regarding the NFC system being implement in an application in a vehicle.
In a similar field of endeavor, Gu et al discloses the NFC system being implement in an application in a vehicle (Abstract & Col. 3 Line 20-30: Vehicle NFC module operable in active mode or sleep mode).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the NFC device power adjusting process of Tramoni’s disclosure with the NFC device in a vehicle controller, as taught by Gu. Doing so would have resulted in efficiently and dynamically powering the NFC device in a vehicle system to conserve overall power in the system.
Regarding claim 19, Claim 19 corresponds to claim 1 and is analyzed accordingly.
Regarding claim 2, Tramoni et al discloses the unintended change to the active read mode is caused by an interference and/or an environmental change (Fig. 8: False detection based on the environmental factor-) (Para. 120-122: signal increase-interference/ environment) & (Para. 126 & 158).
Regarding claim 3, Tramoni et al discloses the unintended change to the active read mode is determined based on a duration of an environmental change (Para. 47 & 49: Duration changed based on NFC environment) & (Para. 126 & 158). `
Regarding claim 4, Tramoni et al discloses the NFC device periodically checks for a signal to be received (Fig. 8 & Para. 49 & 56: emit periodic detection bursts 200).
Regarding claim 5, Tramoni et al discloses the detection mode of the NFC device is a low power polling detection mode with a low power consumption (Fig. 8: LPCD- low power card detection & Para. 46-47) and/or wherein the active read mode is a high power read mode with a high-power consumption (Fig. 7: Wake up-full power).
Regarding claim 6, Tramoni et al discloses the NFC device is a transceiver operating in a MHz-range (Para. 73: NFC 13.56 MHz).
Regarding claim 7, Tramoni et al discloses the transceiver operates in a range of 13 MHz to 14 MHz (Para. 73: NFC 13.56 MHz).
Regarding claim 8, Tramoni et al discloses steps a) and b) are repeated multiple times (Fig. 8 & 10).
Regarding claim 9, Tramoni et al discloses steps a) and b) are repeated in a cyclic manner (Fig. 8 & 10).
Regarding claim 10, Tramoni et al discloses steps a) and b) are repeated more than a predefined number of times, a standby phase of the detection mode is extended (Fig. 8 & 10: Flowchart step goes number of times) & (Para. 126).
Regarding claim 11, Tramoni et al discloses a further change into the active read mode due to the unintended change is detected, the threshold value is set to a maximum value and the active period is extended (Fig. 8 & 10: Threshold value maximum value and the active period is extended) & (Para. 126-137).
Regarding claim 12, Tramoni et al discloses at a maximum threshold value an intended NFC tag modifying the signal transmitted by the NFC device has to be within a predefined range of 5mm from the NFC device (Fig. 8 & 10) & (Para. 41 & 45: NFC device works on a short range includes 5mm).
Regarding claim 13, Tramoni et al discloses the threshold value is restored to the predefined threshold value when no interference is detected (Fig. 8: No false detection[Wingdings font/0xE0] WKUP[Wingdings font/0xE0] NFC to decrease MW/PW).
Regarding claim 14, Tramoni et al discloses the NFC device comprises a processing circuit that characterizes a pattern in the signal received and adjusts the threshold value if the pattern has a defined characteristic (Fig. 8 & 10: Adjust threshold based on NFC pattern).
Regarding claim 15, Tramoni et al discloses the NFC device comprises a memory, and wherein the memory stores at least the predefined threshold value of the standard operating mode and the maximum threshold value (Para. 130 & 135: storing unit and threshold value).
Regarding claim 16, Tramoni et al discloses the threshold value is adapted based on a change of a level of the signal received and/or the active read mode over time (Fig. 8 & 10: change of a level of the signal received over time).
Regarding claim 17, Tramoni et al discloses the threshold value is adapted based on specific signal levels (Fig. 8 & 10: Threshold value is increase/ decreases based on specific signal levels).
Regarding claim 18, Tramoni et al is silent regarding the NFC system is implemented in a car access system.
Gu et al discloses the NFC system is implemented in a car access system (Abstract & Col. 3 Line 20-30: Vehicle access by NFC key).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the NFC device to control vehicle lock for user convenience.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MD K TALUKDER whose telephone number is (571)270-3222. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur from 10 am to 6 pm.
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/MD K TALUKDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648