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 .
Acknowledgment
This Office Action supersedes the Office Action mailed on 07/21/2026.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-4, 7-11 and 15-18 of U.S. Patent No. 11,881,727. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-4, 7-11 and 15-18 of U.S. Patent No. 11,881,727 cover and encompass the limitations of the respective claims 1-20 of the instant application. Moreover, because omission element(s) in the claims would make the claims in the instant application broader, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the claim(s) in the U.S. Patent No. 11,881,727 to as now recited in the instant application since it is just merely an obvious variation of the claims. Furthermore, it is well settled that omission of an element and it function is an obvious expedient if the remaining elements perform the same function as before. In re Karlson, 163 USPQ 184 (CCPA 1963). In light of the foregoing discussion, the broader claims 1-20 of the instant application are rejected as obvious double patenting over the narrower claims 1-4, 7-11 and 15-18 of U.S. Patent No. 11,881,727.
The corresponding claims as follow:
U.S. Patent No. 11,881,727
Instant Applicant
Claim 1: A method comprising: detecting, by a telephone base, presence of a wireless handset;
initiating a wireless charging process to charge the wireless handset upon detecting the presence of the wireless handset; and
establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the telephone base with the wireless handset,
based on information exchanged as part of the wireless charging process via an out-of-band communication channel that is a data communication channel of a wireless charging protocol for communication between a power transmitter of the telephone base and a power receiver of the wireless handset.
Claim 1: A method comprising: detecting, by a first communication component, presence of a second communication component;
initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol, to charge the second communication component upon detecting the presence of the second communication component; and
establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the first communication component with the second communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 4: wherein the information is exchanged between a power transmitter of the first communication component and a power receiver of the second communication component
Claim 2: wherein establishing the secure wireless communication pairing includes: exchanging, by the telephone base with the wireless handset, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, wherein the wireless charging process is used for the out-of-band communication channel
Claim 2: wherein establishing the secure wireless communication pairing includes: exchanging, by the first communication component with the second communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the wireless charging process
Claim 3: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information, and establishing the secure wireless communication pairing further includes: based on the pairing capabilities indicating support for the authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, exchanging the information, by the power transmitter of the telephone base with the power receiver of the wireless handset
Claim 3: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information.
Claim 4: wherein detecting the presence of the wireless handset further includes: detecting, by the power transmitter of the telephone base, that the power receiver of the wireless handset is in a charging position of the telephone base,
and wherein initiating the wireless charging process includes: establishing an information communication interface, according to the wireless charging protocol, between the power transmitter and the power receiver, for the wireless charging process of the wireless handset, wherein the information is exchanged via the information communication interface of the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 8: wherein detecting the presence of the second communication component further includes: detecting, by a power transmitter of the first communication component, that a power receiver of the second communication component is in a charging position of the first communication component.
Claim 9: wherein initiating the wireless charging process includes: establishing an information communication interface, according to the wireless charging protocol, between a power transmitter and a power receiver, for the wireless charging process of the second communication component, wherein the information is exchanged via the information communication interface of the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 7: wherein the wireless charging process is performed using the wireless charging protocol that includes a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi protocol and wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.
Claim 5: wherein the wireless charging process is performed using a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi protocol and wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.
Claim 8: wherein the telephone base further comprises a base wireless transceiver that facilitates wireless communication with the wireless handset using a short-range wireless communication protocol, and the power transmitter includes a power transmitter wireless transceiver that communicates using the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 6:
wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a short-range wireless communication protocol.
Claim 8: wherein the telephone base further comprises a base wireless transceiver that facilitates wireless communication with the wireless handset using a short-range wireless communication protocol, and the power transmitter includes a power transmitter wireless transceiver that communicates using the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 7: wherein the first communication component comprises a wireless transceiver that facilitates wireless communication with the second communication component using the short-range wireless communication protocol and further comprises a power transmitter that communicates using the wireless charging protocol
Claim 9: An apparatus comprising:
a wireless transceiver configured to perform a short-range wireless communication with a wireless handset;
a memory configured to store information;
a charging position on a surface of a housing;
a power transmitter positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to a power receiver of the wireless handset to charge a rechargeable battery of the wireless handset when the wireless handset is in the charging position; and
a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the power transmitter and configured to perform operations comprising:
detecting presence of the wireless handset in the charging position;
initiating a wireless charging process to charge the wireless handset upon detecting the presence of the wireless handset in the charging position; and
establishing a secure wireless communication pairing with the wireless handset, based on the information exchanged as part of the wireless charging process via an out-of-band communication channel that is a data communication channel of a wireless charging protocol for communication between the power transmitter of the apparatus and the power receiver of the wireless handset.
Claim 10: An apparatus comprising:
a wireless transceiver configured to perform a short-range wireless communication with a communication component;
a memory configured to store information;
a charging position on a surface of a housing;
a power transmitter positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to a power receiver of the communication component to charge a rechargeable battery of the communication component when the communication component is in the charging position; and
a processor coupled to the wireless transceiver and the power transmitter, and configured to perform operations comprising:
detecting presence of the communication component in the charging position;
initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol, to charge the communication component upon detecting the presence of the communication component; and establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the apparatus with the communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 13: wherein the information is exchanged between the power transmitter of the apparatus and the power receiver of the communication component
Claim 10: wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by: exchanging, via the wireless transceiver with the wireless handset, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, wherein the wireless charging process is used as the out-of-band communication channel.
Claim 11: wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by: exchanging, via the wireless transceiver with the communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via an out-of-band channel, wherein the wireless charging process is used as the out-of-band channel
Claim 11: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information, and wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by: based on the pairing capabilities indicating support for the authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, exchanging the information, by the power transmitter with the power receiver of the wireless handset.
Claim 12: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information.
Claim 15: wherein the wireless charging process is performed using the wireless charging protocol that includes a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi protocol and
wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.
Claim 14: wherein the wireless charging process is performed using a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi protocol and wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.
Claim 15: wherein the wireless charging process is performed using the wireless charging protocol that includes a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi protocol and
wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol.
Claim 15: wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a short-range wireless communication protocol.
Claim 16: wherein the wireless transceiver facilitates wireless communication with the communication component using the short-range wireless communication protocol and the power transmitter communicates using the wireless charging protocol
Claim 16: A telephone comprising:
a wireless handset that includes:
a handset wireless transceiver,
a rechargeable battery, and
a power receiver configured to charge the rechargeable battery; and
a telephone base that includes:
a base wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the handset wireless transceiver,
a memory configured to store information,
a charging position on a surface of a housing,
a power transmitter positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to the power receiver in order to charge the rechargeable battery when the wireless handset is in the charging position, and
a processor coupled to the base wireless transceiver and the power transmitter and configured to perform operations comprising:
detecting presence of the wireless handset in the charging position; initiating a wireless charging process to charge the wireless handset upon detecting the presence of the wireless handset in the charging position; and
establishing a secure wireless communication pairing with the wireless handset, based on information exchanged as part of the wireless charging process via an out-of-band communication channel that is a data communication channel of a wireless charging protocol for
communication between the power transmitter of the telephone base and the power receiver of the wireless handset.
Claim 17: A system comprising:
a first communication component that includes:
a first wireless transceiver,
a rechargeable battery, and
a power receiver configured to charge the rechargeable battery; and
a second communication component that includes:
a second wireless transceiver configured to wirelessly communicate with the first wireless transceiver,
a memory configured to store information,
a charging position on a surface of a housing,
a power transmitter positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to the power receiver to charge the rechargeable battery when the second communication component is in the charging position, and
a processor coupled to the second wireless transceiver and the power transmitter and configured to perform operations comprising:
detecting presence of the first communication component;
initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol, to charge the first communication component upon detecting the presence of the first communication component in the charging position; and
establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the second communication component with the first communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol.
Claim 20: wherein the information is exchanged between the power transmitter of the second communication component and the power receiver of the first communication component.
Claim 17: wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by: exchanging, via the base wireless transceiver with the handset wireless transceiver, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, wherein the wireless charging process is used for the out-of-band communication channel.
Claim 18: wherein the processor is configured to establish the secure wireless communication pairing by:
exchanging, by the second communication component with the first communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the wireless charging process.
Claim 18: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information, and wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by: based on the pairing capabilities indicating support for the authentication via the out-of-band communication channel, exchanging the information, by the power transmitter with the power receiver.
Claim 19: wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-4, 6-10, 13 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Redding (US 2013/0257365).
Regarding claim 1, Redding teaches a method (figs. 7 and 9-11) comprising: detecting, by a first communication component (702), presence of a second communication component (704) ([0073]); initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol (BLE), to charge the second communication component upon detecting the presence of the second communication component ([0074]-[0075]); establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the first communication component with the second communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol ([0078]-[0079] and [0082]-[0083]).
Regarding claim 2, Redding further teaches wherein establishing the secure wireless communication pairing includes: exchanging, by the first communication component with the second communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the wireless charging process ([0082]-[0085]).
Regarding claim 3, Redding further teaches wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information ([0083]).
Regarding claim 4, Redding further teaches wherein the information is exchanged between a power transmitter of the first communication component and a power receiver of the second communication component (figs. 7, 9 and [0064]-[0066]).
Regarding claim 6, Redding further teaches wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a short-range wireless communication protocol (Bluetooth, [0066]).
Regarding claim 7, Redding further teaches wherein the first communication component comprises a wireless transceiver that facilitates wireless communication with the second communication component using the short-range wireless communication protocol and further comprises a power transmitter that communicates using the wireless charging protocol (fig. 7 and [0064]-[0066]).
Regarding claim 8, Redding further teaches wherein detecting the presence of the second communication component further includes: detecting, by a power transmitter of the first communication component, that a power receiver of the second communication component is in a charging position (where the power is transmitted from the housing of the wireless charger 702) of the first communication component (fig. 9, [0073]-[0076]).
Regarding claim 9, Redding further teaches wherein initiating the wireless charging process includes: establishing an information communication interface, according to the wireless charging protocol, between a power transmitter and a power receiver, for the wireless charging process of the second communication component, wherein the information is exchanged via the information communication interface of the wireless charging protocol (fig. 9, [0073]-[0074] and [0076]).
Regarding claim 10, Redding teaches an apparatus (702, fig. 7) comprising: a wireless transceiver (406, fig. 4 and 720, fig. 7) configured to perform a short-range wireless communication (Bluetooth) with a communication component (704, fig. 7); a memory (470, fig. 4) configured to store information; a charging position on a surface of a housing (wherein the power is transmitted from the housing of the apparatus); a power transmitter (710, fig. 7) positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to a power receiver (715, fig. 7) of the communication component to charge a rechargeable battery ([0066]) of the communication component when the communication component is in the charging position; and a processor (415, fig. 4 and [0045]) coupled to the wireless transceiver and the power transmitter, and configured to perform operations comprising: detecting presence of the communication component in the charging position ([0073]); initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol, to charge the communication component upon detecting the presence of the communication component ([0074] and [0075]); establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the apparatus with the communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol ([0078]-[0079], [0082] and [0083]).
Regarding claim 13, Redding further teaches wherein the information is exchanged between the power transmitter of the apparatus and the power receiver of the communication component (fig. 7).
Regarding claim 15, Redding further teaches wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a short-range wireless communication protocol (Bluetooth, [0066]).
Regarding claim 16, Redding further teaches wherein the wireless transceiver that facilitates wireless communication with the communication component using the short-range wireless communication protocol and the power transmitter communicates using the wireless charging protocol (fig. 7 and [0064]-[0066]).
Regarding claim 17, Redding teaches a system (fig. 7) comprising: a first communication component (704, fig. 7) that includes: a first wireless transceiver (725), a rechargeable battery ([0066]), and a power receiver (715) configured to charge the rechargeable battery; and a second communication component (702) that includes: a second wireless transceiver (720) configured to wirelessly communicate with the first wireless transceiver, a memory (470, fig. 4) configured to store information; a charging position on a surface of a housing (wherein the power is transmitted from the housing of the apparatus); a power transmitter (710, fig. 7) positioned proximate the charging position, and configured to wirelessly provide power to the power receiver to charge the rechargeable battery when the second communication component is in the charging position, and a processor (415, fig. 4 and [0045]) coupled to the second wireless transceiver and the power transmitter and configured to perform operations comprising: detecting presence of the first communication component ([0073]); initiating a wireless charging process, using a wireless charging protocol, to charge the first communication component upon detecting the presence of the first communication component in the charging position ([0074] and [0075]); and establishing a secure wireless communication pairing by the second communication component with the first communication component, based on information exchanged using the wireless charging protocol ([0078]-[0079], [0082] and [0083]).
Regarding claim 18, Redding further teaches wherein the processor is configured to establish the secure wireless communication pairing by: exchanging, by the second communication component with the first communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication via the wireless charging process ([0082]-[0085]).
Regarding claim 19, Redding further teaches wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information ([0083]).
Regarding claim 20, Redding further teaches wherein the information is exchanged between the power transmitter of the second communication component and the power receiver of the first communication component (figs. 7, 9, [0064]-[0066] and [0073]-[0076]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claim(s) 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Redding in view of Hamaguchi (US 2018/0131243).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Redding teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above. Redding further teaches wherein the wireless charging process is performed using a Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) ([0070], [0072] and [0079]) and wherein the secure wireless communication pairing is according to a Bluetooth wireless communication protocol ([0066] and [0067]) but silent to (WPC) Qi protocol.
However, Hamaguchi teaches wireless power transmission is perform using WPC Qi protocol ([0003] and [0126]).
In view of Hamaguchi’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Redding by incorporating the teaching as taught by Hamaguchi in order to provide an increased compatibility of products between manufacturers (see Hamaguchi: [0003]).
Claim(s) 11 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Redding as modified by Halker et al. (US 2015/0278038).
Regarding claim 11, Redding teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above. Redding further teaches wherein the processor is configured to perform the operation of establishing the secure wireless communication pairing by exchanging, via the wireless transceiver with the communication component, pairing capabilities in which support is indicated for authentication ([0082] and [0083]) except for the wireless charging process is used as an out-of-band channel.
However, Halker teaches an wireless charging apparatus (120b, fig. 1) using out-of-band channel for wireless charging process ([0128]).
In view of Halker’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Redding by incorporating the teaching as taught by Halker in order to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 12, Redding as modified by Halker teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above. Redding further teaches wherein the information includes one or more of encryption keys, address information, and cryptographic information ([0083]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References: Audet et al. (US 12,587,039); Lee et al. (US 2022/0294272); Ling et al. (US 2018/0295491); Pifferi (US 2018/0287668) and Chu (US 2015/0006395) are cited because they are related to wireless charging system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
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/TUYEN K VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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