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 Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informalities:
As per claim 3, applicant is claiming “The method according to claim 2, wherein the selectively enabling, ….; and enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode when the one or more terminal devices all support the Wi-Fi power consumption mode.” Should be one or more terminal device support the Wi-Fi power consumption mode. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-10, 18, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jeanne et al. Pub. No. US 20150156715 A1.
Regarding Claim 1, Jeanne teaches a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication method (Fig. 3 and 6 and Para 55, the conditions (events and/or actions) resulting in the entering or exiting of the low power consumption mode of the WLAN access point of the gateway GW), comprising:
enabling, by an access point, (Fig. 5 and Para 61-62, FIG. 5 shows the internal architecture of the network gateway GW comprising a WLAN access point WLAN-AP. The gateway comprises a network interface IN2 3 for connection to a broadband network of WAN type (giving access to the internet) via the ADSL link L2 and a network interface IN1 4, of WLAN type. Network interface IN1 and the control unit CU 1 implementing, amongst other things, the control of network interface IN1, constitute the WLAN access point of the gateway GW i.e., enabling, by an access point WI-FI hots) a Wi-Fi hotspot (Para 20, IEEE 802.11 i.e., Wi-Fi hotspot);
selectively enabling, by the access point (Fig. 3 Step S1, Step S1 is a step for initializing the gateway GW. This step follows power-up) a Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 52 and Fig. 2 INACT and Para 57, the gateway GW configures the WLAN access point to low power consumption mode when the number of packets transiting corresponds to a low occupancy of the available bandwidth); and
in response to enabling the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode, periodically broadcasting, by the access point, a low power consumption indication frame (Fig. 2 CF and Para 52 and 53, FIG. 2 shows a sequencing of periods of activity and periods of inactivity INACT of the WLAN access point WLAN-AP of the network gateway GW. The WLAN access point transmits "beacon" frames CF every 100 ms i.e., periodically broadcasting, by the access point, a low power consumption indication frame. The WLAN access point of the gateway GW is configured to low power consumption mode. The "beacon" frames CF comprise information relating to the periods of inactivity INACT),
wherein the low power consumption indication frame (Fig. 4 and Para 54, elements of information inserted into a "beacon" control frame CF and transmitted on network N1 by the gateway GW) carries a low power consumption parameter indicating at least one discontinuous time period in which the access point is in a sleep state after entering the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Fig. 4 and Para 54, the elements of information inserted into a "beacon" control frame CF and transmitted on network N1 by the gateway GW. According to the embodiment of the invention, the "Quiet" information field defined in the WLAN standard is used for the transmission of information related to future periods of inactivity. The set of information is called INF. The information field INF comprises a header and four indicators i.e., low power consumption indication frame. The header comprises a field identifier ID and an item of field length information L. L indicates the length in bytes of the field including the header and length bytes. Indicator IN-C indicates the number of future "beacon" frames, preceding the start of the next period of inactivity. Indicator IN-P indicates, when its value is non-zero, the number of "beacon" frames separating two successive periods of inactivity. If the value of indicator IN-P is zero, this indicates that there is no future period of inactivity following the next notified period of inactivity. Indicator IN-L serves to describe a periodic succession of periods of inactivity. If the value is zero, there is no periodicity of periods of inactivity. If the value is non-zero, it indicates the number of "beacon" frames separating two periods of inactivity. Indicator IN-O makes it possible to offset the start of a period of inactivity with respect to a "beacon" information frame. In other words, a period of inactivity does not necessarily correspond to one or more intervals between two "beacon" frames; the IN-O indicator therefore indicates a number of units of time separating the start of a "beacon" frame and the start of the period of inactivity to follow i.e., i.e., at least one discontinuous time period in which the access point is in a sleep state after entering the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode).
Regarding Claim 2, Jeanne teaches wherein the selectively enabling, by the access point, a Wi-Fi low power consumption mode comprises: selectively enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode based on information about a terminal device that accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot (Para 62).
Regarding Claim 3, Jeanne teaches wherein the selectively enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode based on information about a terminal device that accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot comprises: when at least one terminal device accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot, determining, by the access point, whether the at least one terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode; and enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode when the one or more terminal devices all support the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 64).
Regarding Claim 5, Jeanne teaches wherein the selectively enabling, by the access point, a Wi-Fi low power consumption mode comprises: enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode when the access point is in a state in which the Wi-Fi hotspot is enabled and no terminal device accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot (Para 48).
Regarding Claim 6, Jeanne teaches further comprising: after the access point enables the Wi-Fi hotspot, when the access point receives no access request from the terminal device, determining that the access point is in the state in which the Wi- Fi hotspot is enabled and no terminal device accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot (Para 47-49).
Regarding Claim 7, Jeanne teaches further comprises: after one or more terminal devices that access the Wi-Fi hotspot are all disconnected from the Wi-Fi hotspot, determining that the access point is in the state in which the Wi-Fi hotspot is enabled and no terminal device accesses the Wi-Fi hotspot (Para 47-49).
Regarding Claim 8, Jeanne teaches wherein the selectively enabling, by the access point, a Wi-Fi low power consumption mode comprises: generating, by the access point, forcible enabling information indicating to forcibly enable the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode; and in response to the forcible enabling information, enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 61).
Regarding Claim 9, Jeanne teaches wherein after the enabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode, the method further comprises: receiving, by the access point, a Wi-Fi hotspot access request from a terminal device that does not access the Wi-Fi hotspot; and in response to the Wi-Fi hotspot access request, disabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 59).
Regarding Claim 10, Jeanne teaches wherein a duration of a plurality of discontinuous time periods is determined based on an amount of data transmitted between the access point and the terminal device in a preset time period (Para 52).
Regarding Claim 18, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 and further Jeanne teaches a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communication apparatus, comprising a Wi-Fi chip processor (Para 64 and Fig. 5 Unit CU, control unit) and a Wi-Fi chip transceiver (Para 63 and Fig. 5 L1 Antenna).
Regarding Claim 19, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 2.
Regarding Claim 20, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 3.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claim(s) 4, 16, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeanne et al. Pub. No. US 20150156715 A1 in view of Sampathkumar et al. Pub. No. US 20100284316 A1.
Regarding Claim 4, Jeanne teaches wherein the determining, by the access point, whether the at least one terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode.
Jeanne does not specifically teach comprises:
determining, by the access point, whether a low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is received,
wherein the low power consumption support frame represents that the terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode; and when the low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is received, determining, by the access point, that the at least one terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode; and when the low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is not received, determining, by the access point, that the at least one terminal device comprises a terminal device that does not support the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sampathkumar teaches
determining, by the access point, whether a low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is received (Fig. 1 and Para 18, At stage A, the transceiver unit 106 in the access point 102 receives a message from the station 112 indicating a time interval for which the connected station 112 will be in sleep mode ("station sleep interval"). In some implementations, where the access point 102 and the connected station 112 communicate using IEEE communication protocols, the transceiver unit 106 can receive, in an Association Request Management Frame, one or more parameters ("quiet parameters") indicating when and for how long the station will be in the sleep mode),
wherein the low power consumption support frame represents that the terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 19, the power saving unit 108 in the access point 102 determines when and for how long the access point should quiet the communication channel and enter into a sleep mode i.e., low power consumption support frame represents that the terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode); and
when the low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is received, determining, by the access point, that the at least one terminal device supports the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 20, the transceiver unit 106 in the access point 102 transmits a beacon, or another suitable message, indicating the access point quiet information determined at stage B. By transmitting the access point quiet information, the access point 102 indicates, to each of the connected stations 112 and other stations that are not connected to the access point 102, when and for how long the channel will be quieted and the access point will be in sleep mode. The access point may also use the quiet information to indicate when the access point 102 wakes up from the sleep mode, exchanges data/management information, and opens up the communication channel for access. The access point 102 may also indicate how often the access point enters sleep mode, how long the access point remains in sleep mode, etc. In one implementation, the access point 102 can indicate when and for how long the access point will be in sleep mode in terms of a beacon interval time period. For example, the access point 102 can indicate, in the quiet information, that the access point 102 will enter the sleep mode at the next beacon interval, wake up after two beacon intervals, remain awake to receive and transmit information for one beacon interval, and then enter the sleep mode. In another implementation, the access point 102 can use any suitable time unit (e.g., milliseconds, etc.) to indicate when and for how long the access point 102 will quiet the communication channel and enter the sleep mode. The station 112 may use the quiet information to determine how long the communication channel will be available for access); and
when the low power consumption support frame from each of the at least one terminal device is not received, determining, by the access point, that the at least one terminal device comprises a terminal device that does not support the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode (Para 19, If no stations are connected to the access point 102, the access point 102 can wake up from the sleep mode every beacon interval, transmit a beacon, wait for a response for a preconfigured period of time, and enter the sleep mode again).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Jeanne with the method of Sampathkumar so as to implement energy saving mechanisms in the mobile access point thus to improve battery life and to reduce power consumption (e.g., for green computing) (See Sampathkumar Para 3).
Regarding Claim 16, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 and further Jeanne does not teach sending, by a terminal device, a low power consumption support frame to an access point, receiving, by the terminal device, a low power consumption indication frame periodically broadcast by the access point; and sending, by the terminal device, data to the access point by using the Wi-Fi hotspot in a time period other than the at least one discontinuous time period.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sampathkumar teaches
sending, by a terminal device, a low power consumption support frame to an access point (Para 18, At stage A, the transceiver unit 106 in the access point 102 receives a message from the station 112 indicating a time interval for which the connected station 112 will be in sleep mode ("station sleep interval")),
receiving, by the terminal device, a low power consumption indication frame periodically broadcast by the access point (para 21, At stage D, the station 112 receives the transmitted beacon. The station 112 extracts the transmitted access point quiet information from the received beacon); and
sending, by the terminal device, data to the access point by using the Wi-Fi hotspot in a time period other than the at least one discontinuous time period (Para 25, At stage H, the transceiver unit 104 transmits a beacon on the communication channel. The access point 102 wakes up from sleep mode, opens access to the communication channel, and transmits a beacon in time for the connected station 112 to receive the beacon and maintain connectivity with the access point 102. In transmitting the beacon, the access point 102 can indicate that the communication channel is available for contention-based access).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Jeanne with the method of Sampathkumar so as to implement energy saving mechanisms in the mobile access point thus to improve battery life and to reduce power consumption (e.g., for green computing) (See Sampathkumar Para 3).
Regarding Claim 17, Jeanne teaches wherein the method further comprising: sending, by the terminal device, a Wi-Fi hotspot access request to the access point (Para 40).
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeanne et al. Pub. No. US 20150156715 A1 in view of Karunamuni et al. Pub. No. US 20180335939 A1.
Regarding Claim 11, Jeanne teaches enabling the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode.
Jeanne does not specifically teach displaying, by the access point, a first identifier on a user interface, wherein the first identifier represents that the mode has been enabled.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Karunamuni teaches the control panel user interface (e.g., the control panel user interface with the first configuration) displays (1238) an airplane mode control affordance (e.g., airplane mode icon 5542, FIG. 5D1) that, when activated by an input that meets control toggle criteria (e.g., a tap input) toggles an ON/OFF state of an airplane mode of the electronic device i.e., displaying by the access point, a first identifier on a user interface, wherein the first identifier represents that the mode has been enabled/disabled (Para 558)
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Jeanne with the method of Karunamuni so as to transmit data only when Wi-Fi low power consumption data display is enabled thus enabling the user to use the device efficiently and improve battery life (See Karunamuni Para 558).
Regarding Claim 12, Jeanne does not specifically teach wherein the first identifier comprises a first icon and a second icon, the first icon is a Wi-Fi hotspot icon, and the second icon is a Wi-Fi low power consumption mode icon.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Karunamuni teaches device display 628 display system information for example Bluetooth connectivity indicator, do not disturb mode indicator, orientation lock indicator, airplane mode indicator, etc.) concurrently with the plurality of application views, wherein the additional system information was not displayed concurrently with the first user interface before the plurality of application views are displayed. In some embodiments, the system information ceases to be displayed if the first user interface for the first application is redisplayed, so that the user can temporarily display the additional system information by swiping up slightly on the touch-sensitive surface and swiping downward or lifting off to redisplay the first user interface for the first application which can be refer to as first icon and second icon and where by design choice first icon can be Wi-Fi hotspot icon and the second icon can be Wi-Fi low power consumption mode icon (Par 397).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Jeanne with the method of Karunamuni so as to provide system status of the device with a simple gesture (See Karunamuni Para 397).
Regarding Claim 13, Jeanne teaches enabling by the access point, Wi-Fi low power consumption mode.
Jeanne does not teach wherein after the enabling, by the access point, the method further comprises: disabling, by the access point, the Wi-Fi control mode.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Karunamuni teaches the low power mode control affordance is a toggle control and the toggle state of the toggle control corresponds to the ON/OFF state of the low power mode. Allowing the user to expand a control affordance (to display additional controls and/or information) or to toggle a control function based on variations in the detected input (Para 553).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Jeanne with the method of Karunamuni so as to enhance the operability of the device and makes the user device interface more efficient thus providing additional functions without cluttering up the display with additional controls, and reducing the number of steps that are needed to achieve an intended outcome when operating the device (See Karunamuni Para 553).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art reference fails to teach the limitation of “further comprising: when the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode is disabled, displaying, by the access point, a second identifier, wherein the second identifier represents that the Wi-Fi low power consumption mode has been disabled”. These limitation in combination of other elements are neither found nor disclosed in prior art as a whole.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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NIZAR N. SIVJI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/NIZAR N SIVJI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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