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).
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
4. 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.
5. 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
6. 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 1-13 & 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tramoni et al (Pub No. 2021/0328625), in view of Gu et al (Pub No. 9544853) and further in view of Kim et al (Pub No. 2018/0138947).
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.
Tramoni, in view of Gu is also silent regarding 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.
In a similar field of endeavor, Kim disclose the NFC device comprises a processing circuit that characterizes a pattern in the signal received (Fig. 9: detect that received signal having specific pattern) & (Para. 37 & 49 & 71) and adjusts the threshold value if the pattern has a defined characteristic (Fig. 9: S350 & S370-adjust Vref3- threshold when mute interval pattern detected) & (Para. 41 & 60 & 71-74).
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 adjusted variable NFC communication characteristic for robust, reliable and accurate short range near field communication system.
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 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.
Allowance
3. Claims 19-20 & 14 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Interpreting the claims in light of the specification and based on applicant's argument filed on 06/02/2026, examiner finds the claimed invention is patentably distinct from the prior art of record. The prior art does not expressly teach or render obvious the invention as recited in the independent claims 19-20.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Another Prior Art
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Another prior art, Wobak et al (US 2020/0229091) discloses RF communication device with a detector configured to detect the presence of an external communication device and to initiate a wake-up of the communication controller. The detector detect a first load on an RF interface of the RF communication device and the detector is configured to initiate wake-up if a difference between the first load and a reference load is above a high threshold.
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 from the examiner should be directed to Patent Examiner Md Talukder whose telephone number is (571) 270-3222. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Th 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisors, Wesley Kim can be reached on 571-272-7867.
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/MD K TALUKDER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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