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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
1a. Claim 4 is objected to as dependent upon rejected claims, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
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.
2a. Claims 1-3 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Asakura (US 20230422324 A1) in view of Li (US 20220159765 A1).
2b. Summary of the Cited Prior Art
Asakura discloses a method for multi Wi-Fi function communication.
Li discloses a method for network sharing related devices.
2c. Claim Analysis
Regarding Claim 1, Asakura discloses:
A communication apparatus (Fig 2, Terminal 100 or Printer 10) having a plurality of station (STA) functions (Fig 2, Wi-Fi I/F 116, BT I/F 120 and NFC I/F 122), the communication apparatus comprising:
a control unit (Fig 2, Controller 130) configured to exclusively operate the plurality of STA functions (Fig 2, Wi-Fi I/F 116, BT I/F 120 and NFC I/F 122);
an execution unit (Fig 2, Operation Unit 112) configured to execute sharing processing for sharing a parameter (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA); see: [0084] … the terminal 100 firstly generates a shared key by using the private key (not illustrated) of the terminal 100 and the public key PKA of the printer 10A and encrypts a random value by using the shared key to generate encrypted data; Examiner’s Note: public key PKA and shared key are shared parameters among joining devices) to be used to connect to an access point (AP) (Fig 5, (T150) Establish Wi-Fi Connection; see: [0096] … As a result of this, Wi-Fi connection is established between the printer 10A and the AP 6 in T150. As the Wi-Fi connection is already established (present) between the terminal 100 and the AP 6, the terminal 100 and the printer 10A are able to communicate with each other via the AP 6);
an acquisition unit (Fig 2, Display Unit 114 and Camera 118; Fig 3, Display Selection Screen SC1, S10) configured to acquire information about the plurality of STA functions (see: [0047] … The selection screen SC1 includes a model name inputting section for inputting a model name and three marks indicating three setup information obtaining methods (i.e., QR Code, BT, NFC);
a selection unit (Fig 3, S10 Display Selection Screen SC1; Examiner’s Note: the selection screen is couple with a selection unit as implied) configured to select an STA function (Fig 3, QR Code Select? S20, BT Selected? S30 and NFC Selected? S40) to be used for the sharing processing (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA), and key sharing process) in accordance with the information acquired (see: [0047] … The selection screen SC1 includes a model name inputting section for inputting a model name and three marks indicating three setup information obtaining methods (i.e., QR Code, BT, NFC) by the acquisition unit (Fig 2, Display Unit 114 and Camera 118; Fig 3, Display Selection Screen SC1, S10); and
a connection unit (Fig 2, Wi-Fi I/F 116) configured to connect to the AP (Fig 5, (T150) Establish Wi-Fi Connection; see: [0096] … As a result of this, Wi-Fi connection is established between the printer 10A and the AP 6 in T150. As the Wi-Fi connection is already established (present) between the terminal 100 and the AP 6, the terminal 100 and the printer 10A are able to communicate with each other via the AP 6) based on the parameter shared (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA); see: [0084] … the terminal 100 firstly generates a shared key by using the private key (not illustrated) of the terminal 100 and the public key PKA of the printer 10A and encrypts a random value by using the shared key to generate encrypted data; Examiner’s Note: public key PKA and shared key are shared parameters among joining devices) by using the STA function selected by the selection unit (Fig 3, S10 Display Selection Screen SC1; Examiner’s Note: the selection screen is couple with a selection unit as implied).
Asakura discloses selection functions implied in a display unit, but does not disclose a standalone selection unit.
However, Li discloses standalone selection units:
a selection unit (Fig 10, FIRST DETERMING UNIT 101 AND SECOND DETERMING UNIT 104) configured to select an STA function to be used (Fig 2, WIFI NETWORK SHARING FUNCTION; see: [0172] The first determining unit 101 is configured to determine whether the electronic device has created two first network interfaces for WIFI network access through the WIFI module upon detecting a network-sharing enablement request).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Asakura’s method for multi Wi-Fi function communication with Li’s method for network sharing related devices with the motivation being to improve stability of network sharing (Li, [0063]).
Regarding Claim 2, Asakura discloses:
wherein the selection unit (Fig 3, S10 Display Selection Screen SC1; Examiner’s Note: the selection screen is couple with a selection unit as implied) selects an STA function (Fig 3, QR Code Select? S20, BT Selected? S30 and NFC Selected? S40) that is unconnected to an AP out of the plurality of STA functions (Fig 5, see selection processes (T110) – (T119) before connecting to AP 6, QR, BT and NFC are unconnected).
Regarding Claim 3, Asakura does not disclose priority.
However, Li discloses:
further comprising a determination unit (Fig 10, FIRST DETERMING UNIT 101 AND SECOND DETERMING UNIT 104) configured to determine a priority of each of the plurality of STA functions (Fig 8, Steps 803-804; see: [0141] At 803, the electronic device determines an access priority and a signal strength of each of the two WIFI networks)
wherein the acquisition unit (Fig 2, CAMERA, DISPLAY SCREEN) acquires, as the information (Figs 4-6, screen inputs), the priority determined by the determination unit (Fig 10, FIRST DETERMING UNIT 101 AND SECOND DETERMING UNIT 104), and
wherein the selection unit selects an STA function based on the priority (Fig 8, Steps 804-805; see: [0142] At 804, the electronic device determines an evaluation value of each of the two WIFI networks based on a first formula, two access priorities, …; see: [0143] At 805, the electronic device determines a target WIFI network based on determined two evaluation values, the two WIFI networks including the target WIFI network).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Asakura’s method for multi Wi-Fi function communication with Li’s method for network sharing related devices with the motivation being to improve stability of network sharing (Li, [0063]).
Regarding Claim 5, Asakura discloses:
further comprising a sharing unit (Fig 2, Operation Unit 112 that generates and shares a public and shared keys may function as sharing unit) configured to share the acquired parameter between the plurality of STA functions in the sharing processing (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA); see: [0084] … the terminal 100 firstly generates a shared key by using the private key (not illustrated) of the terminal 100 and the public key PKA of the printer 10A and encrypts a random value by using the shared key to generate encrypted data; Examiner’s Note: public key PKA and shared key are parameters shared by joining devices).
Regarding Claim 6, Asakura discloses:
wherein the sharing processing (Fig 5, Key Sharing Process, from (T120) Capture QR Code to (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA)) is a Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) or a Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) (see: [0108] … Case B is a case where the DPP process is executed between the terminal 100 and the printer 10B).
Regarding Claim 7, Asakura discloses:
A method for controlling a communication apparatus (Fig 2, Terminal 100 or Printer 10) having a plurality of station (STA) functions (Fig 2, Wi-Fi I/F 116, BT I/F 120 and NFC I/F 122), the method comprising:
performing control (Fig 2, Controller 130) to exclusively operate the plurality of STA functions (Fig 2, Wi-Fi I/F 116, BT I/F 120 and NFC I/F 122) by using one radio frequency (RF) circuit (Fig 2, Controller 130, CPU 132 and Memory 134 are radio frequency circuit);
executing (Fig 2, Operation Unit 112) sharing processing for sharing a parameter (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA); see: [0084] … the terminal 100 firstly generates a shared key by using the private key (not illustrated) of the terminal 100 and the public key PKA of the printer 10A and encrypts a random value by using the shared key to generate encrypted data; Examiner’s Note: public key PKA and shared key are shared parameters among joining devices) to be used to connect to an access point (AP) (Fig 5, (T150) Establish Wi-Fi Connection; see: [0096] … As a result of this, Wi-Fi connection is established between the printer 10A and the AP 6 in T150. As the Wi-Fi connection is already established (present) between the terminal 100 and the AP 6, the terminal 100 and the printer 10A are able to communicate with each other via the AP 6);
acquiring information (Fig 2, Display Unit 114 and Camera 118; Fig 3, Display Selection Screen SC1, S10) about the plurality of STA functions (see: [0047] … The selection screen SC1 includes a model name inputting section for inputting a model name and three marks indicating three setup information obtaining methods (i.e., QR Code, BT, NFC);
selecting (Fig 3, Display Selection Screen SC1, S10; Examiner’s Note: the selection screen is couple with a selection unit as implied) an STA function (Fig 3, QR Code Select? S20, BT Selected? S30 and NFC Selected? S40) to be used for the sharing processing (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA), and key sharing process) in accordance with the information acquired (see: [0047] … The selection screen SC1 includes a model name inputting section for inputting a model name and three marks indicating three setup information obtaining methods (i.e., QR Code, BT, NFC) in accordance with the acquired information (information acquired by the following devices: Fig 2, Display Unit 114 and Camera 118; Fig 3, Display Selection Screen SC1, S10); and
connecting to the AP (Fig 5, (T150) Establish Wi-Fi Connection; see: [0096] … As a result of this, Wi-Fi connection is established between the printer 10A and the AP 6 in T150. As the Wi-Fi connection is already established (present) between the terminal 100 and the AP 6, the terminal 100 and the printer 10A are able to communicate with each other via the AP 6) based on the parameter shared by using the selected STA function (Fig 5, (T130) Auth Req (Using PKA); see: [0084] … the terminal 100 firstly generates a shared key by using the private key (not illustrated) of the terminal 100 and the public key PKA of the printer 10A and encrypts a random value by using the shared key to generate encrypted data; Examiner’s Note: public key PKA and shared key are shared parameters among joining devices).
Asakura does not elaborate about selection unit.
However, Li discloses:
selecting (Fig 10, FIRST DETERMING UNIT 101 AND SECOND DETERMING UNIT 104) an STA function to be used for the sharing processing (Fig 2, WIFI NETWORK SHARING FUNCTION; see: [0172] The first determining unit 101 is configured to determine whether the electronic device has created two first network interfaces for WIFI network access through the WIFI module upon detecting a network-sharing enablement request).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Asakura’s method for multi Wi-Fi function communication with Li’s method for network sharing related devices with the motivation being to improve stability of network sharing (Li, [0063]).
Regarding Claim 8, the claim discloses similar features as of Claim 7, and is rejected accordingly. Further, Asakura discloses [0004] A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer-readable instructions for a first communication device is disclosed herein.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jung-Jen Liu whose telephone number is 571-270-7643. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B. Yao can be reached on 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUNG LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473