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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by NARULA et al (US 2024/0031136)
Regarding claim 16, NARULA et al (US 2024/0031136) discloses reader wireless device, comprising: an antenna (NARULA: Fig. 5, at least an inherent wireless/Bluetooth communication interface); a radio operably coupled to the antenna (NARULA: Fig. 5, at least an inherent wireless/Bluetooth communication interface coupled with a Bluetooth antenna enabling communication over Bluetooth/wireless medium); and a processor operably coupled to the radio (NARULA: ¶47, processor/microcontroller); wherein the reader wireless device is configured to: receive information configuring a reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶15, ¶48, the reader device is programmed with an identifier (equivalent to receiving the information configuring the group identifier)); and transmit, wirelessly, an advertisement indication that comprises the reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, the peripheral device transmits this identifier (group identity key) in an advertisement indication).
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.
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) 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12-14, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA et al (US 2024/0031136) in view of HASHIMOTO et al (US 2019/0166222)
Regarding claim 1, 8, NARULA discloses processor configured to cause an access wireless device to:
store configuration information comprising one or more reader group identifiers (NARULA: Fig. 4, ¶47-48, ¶50, step 410/506, storing the identifier of the coordinated set/group secret key);
receive, wirelessly, an advertisement indication from a first reader wireless device, wherein the advertisement indication comprises an advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶53, in step 512, an advertisement message is received wirelessly/radio signal wherein the advertisement indicates an identifier (secret key identifier) associated with a first group of peripheral devices);
determine that the advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device is authenticated (NARULA: ¶53, an authentication is performed at the access device (IHS device) where a corresponding secret key is received in the advertisement packet which corresponds to a coordinated group (determining whether it is a member of a coordinated group) which was stored in the process of Fig. 4 (or in steps 504 and 506)); and
attempt to perform an access control communication exchange with the first reader wireless device based at least in part on determining that the reader group identifier of the one or more stored reader group identifiers corresponds to the advertised reader group identifier (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶54, an authentication is completed and a connection between the first peripheral device/reader and the IHS device/access device is established after exchange access control (settings and other control information required to complete access)).
NARULA remains silent regarding authentication comprises that a group identifier of the one or more stored group identifiers corresponds to the advertised reader group identifier.
However, HASHIMOTO et al (US 2019/0166222) discloses that authentication comprises that a group identifier of the one or more stored group identifiers corresponds to the advertised reader group identifier (HASHIMOTO: ¶100, ¶135-136, ¶158-189, the authentication involves a group identifier matching/corresponding the advertised group identifier).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA would have been motivated to use the teachings of HASHIMOTO as it provides a way to reduce a processing load of the data management apparatus and a communication load between the data transfer apparatus and the data management apparatus to efficiently transmit data of the terminal apparatus to the data management apparatus (HASHIMOTO: ¶14). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA with teachings of HASHIMOTO in order to improve data load management.
Regarding claim 3, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses processor of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the access wireless device to: attempt to perform the access control communication exchange with the first reader wireless device only after successful service universally unique identifier (UUID) resolution for the first reader wireless device (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶43-44, UUID (secret group identity key) is resolved by being received at the IHS and determined to be part of a coordinated set for which a coordinated set is available; only after that an authentication is completed by, and after which exchanging of access control information (including settings and other control information required to complete access) occurs).
Regarding claim 4, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses processor of claim 3, wherein the attempt to perform the access control communication exchange with the first reader wireless device comprises establishing a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) based wireless connection (NARULA: ¶2, Fig. 5, ¶54, BLE based wireless communication is established).
Regarding claim 6, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses processor of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the access wireless device to:
receive, wirelessly, a second advertisement indication from a second reader wireless device, wherein the second advertisement indication comprises a second advertised reader group identifier associated with the second reader wireless device, wherein the advertised reader group identifier and the second advertised reader group identifier are the same (NARULA: ¶53, at least one more advertisement indication is sent by another reader device/peripheral device; this devices sends the same group identity key).
Regarding claim 12, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, by the access wireless device:
receiving configuration information including the reader group identifier information for the one or more reader wireless devices (NARULA: ¶52-54, claim 1, receiving initial advertisement with group identity key at IHS) , wherein the configuration information further includes access credential information associated with the one or more reader wireless devices (NARULA: ¶54, credential information about more than one reader/peripheral devices is included in the configuration received at the IHS).
Regarding claim 13, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, by the access wireless device, at an earlier time: configuring the first reader wireless device with the advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶48, the group identity key is set during initial pairing by the IHS device).
Regarding claim 14, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses method of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises, by the access wireless device, at the earlier time: configuring one or more additional reader wireless devices with a same reader group identifier as the advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶48, the group identity key is set during initial pairing by the IHS device; this is for more than one reader devices/peripheral devices).
Claim(s) 7, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO as applied to claim 1/8 above, further in view of PATWARDHAN et al (US 10383037).
Regarding claim 7, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the advertisement indication from the first reader wireless device includes an identifier associated with the first reader wireless device, the processor is further configured to cause the access wireless device to: determine whether the one or more stored reader group identifiers includes a reader group identifier that corresponds to any reader group identifier of the reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device (HASHIMOTO: ¶100, ¶135-136, ¶158-189, the authentication involves a group identifier stored in the access device, matching/corresponding the advertised group identifier).
NARUAL remains silent regarding the advertisement indication including multiple identifiers.
However, PATWARDHAN et al (US 10383037) discloses the advertisement indication including multiple identifiers (PATWARDHAN: col. 3: 4-16, each BLE device advertise multiple UUIDs; col. 5: 40-58, each UUID is for a respective group and the matching UUID establishes the connection for the group with a client of a corresponding tenant).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO would have been motivated to use the teachings of PATWARDHAN as it provides a multi-tenant connection for peripheral devices through the BLE device, Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO with teachings of PATWARDHAN in order to improve scalability of the network a utilization of the peripheral devices.
Regarding claim 11, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses a method of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises, by the access wireless device:
receiving, wirelessly, a second advertisement indication from a second reader wireless device, wherein the second advertisement indication comprises an advertised reader group identifier associated with the second reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶53, at least one more advertisement indication is sent by another reader device/peripheral device; this device sends the same group identity key),
determining that the reader group identifier of the stored reader group identifier information corresponds to the advertised reader group identifier associated with the second reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶53, at least one more advertisement indication is sent by another reader device/peripheral device; this device sends the same/copy group identity key based on which authentication is performed by the IHS); and
performing an access control communication exchange with the second reader wireless device based at least in part on determining that the reader group identifier of the stored reader group identifier information corresponds to the advertised reader group identifier associated with the second reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶53, an authentication is performed at the access device (IHS device) where a corresponding secret key is received in the advertisement packet which corresponds to a coordinated group (determining whether it is a member of a coordinated group) which was stored in the process of Fig. 4 (or in steps 504 and 506); HASHIMOTO: ¶100, ¶135-136, ¶158-189, the authentication involves a group identifier matching/determining that it corresponds to the advertised group identifier).
Claim(s) 2, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO as applied to claim 1/8 above, further in view of HOROZOV et al (US 2023/0192442)
Regarding claim 2, 9, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses processor of claim 1, wherein the advertised reader group identifier is dynamically encrypted (NARULA: ¶44, the group identifier that is advertised is encrypted).
NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO remains silent regarding encryption is using timestamp information and the processor is further configured to cause the access wireless device to: determine whether the timestamp information used to dynamically encrypt the advertised reader group identifier is expired.
However, HOROZOV et al (US 2023/0192442) discloses encryption is using timestamp information and the processor is further configured to cause the access wireless device to: determine whether the timestamp information used to dynamically encrypt the advertised reader group identifier is expired (HOROZOV: ¶99, ¶109, encryption code is UUID with time stamp and access authentication includes checking the time validation/expiration).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA would have been motivated to use the teachings of HOROZOV as it provides improved security and reduced breach vulnerability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA with teachings of HOROZOV in order to improve security.
Claim(s) 5, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO as applied to claim 3/8, further in view of STEFFLE et al (US 2022/0309308)
Regarding claim 5, 10, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses processor of claim 3/8, wherein the attempt to perform the access control communication exchange (NARULA: ¶16, ¶26, the computer is accessed by user using the peripheral devices and the peripheral devices and computer/client (IHS) exchange access control communication between each other)
NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO remains silent regarding, however, STEFFLE et al (US 2022/0309308) discloses with the first reader wireless device comprises performing one or more of Fine Ranging (FiRa) Consortium or Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) based access control techniques (STEFFLE: ¶14, ¶17, ¶24, the access control communication is via FiRa service and reader is FiRa reader).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO would have been motivated to use the teachings of STEFFLE as it provides a ISO standard session security protocol (¶23) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO with teachings of STEFFLE in order to improve standard compliant security protocol thereby improving compatibility.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO as applied to claim 3/8, further in view of CORBALIS et al (US 2016/0048878 )
Regarding claim 15, NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO discloses method of claim 8, wherein the advertisement indication includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertisement packet (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, BLE advertisement packet), the advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device is indicated in one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, BLE advertisement data in an identifier field of the BLE advertisement packet )
NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO remains silent regarding the field is one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 2 octet service universally unique identifier (UUID); or a reader group identifier UUID AD field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 16 octet reader group UUID.
However, CORBALIS discloses the field is one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 2 octet service universally unique identifier (UUID); or a reader group identifier UUID AD field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 16 octet reader group UUID (CORBALIS: ¶79, 16 octet field or 6 octet, advertisement data field).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO would have been motivated to use the teachings of CORBALIS as it provides a ISO standard session security protocol (¶23) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO with teachings of CORBALIS in order to improve standard compliant security protocol thereby improving compatibility.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA et al (US 20240031136) in view of HOROZOV et al (US 2023/0192442)
Regarding claim 17, NARULA et al (US 20240031136) discloses reader wireless device of claim 16, wherein the reader group identifier comprised in the advertisement indication is dynamically encrypted (NARULA: ¶44, the group identifier that is advertised is encrypted).
NARULA remains silent regarding the encryption is using timestamp information, wherein dynamic encryption of the reader group identifier changes according to a configured rotation period.
However, HOROZOV et al (US 2023/0192442) discloses the encryption is using timestamp information, wherein dynamic encryption of the reader group identifier changes according to a configured rotation period (HOROZOV: ¶99, ¶103, ¶67, encryption code is a periodically changing code for increased security).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA would have been motivated to use the teachings of HOROZOV as it provides improved security and reduced breach vulnerability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA with teachings of HOROZOV in order to improve security.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA (US 20240031136) in view of CORBALIS et al (US 2016/0048878)
Regarding claim 18, NARULA discloses reader wireless device of claim 16, wherein the advertisement indication includes a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertisement packet (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, BLE advertisement packet), the advertised reader group identifier associated with the first reader wireless device is indicated in one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, BLE advertisement data in an identifier field of the BLE advertisement packet )
NARULA remains silent regarding the field is one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 2 octet service universally unique identifier (UUID); or a reader group identifier UUID AD field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 16 octet reader group UUID.
However, CORBALIS discloses the field is one of: a reader group identifier advertisement data (AD) field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 2 octet service universally unique identifier (UUID); or a reader group identifier UUID AD field of the BLE advertisement packet with AD type set as 16 octet reader group UUID (CORBALIS: ¶79, 16 octet field or 6 octet, advertisement data field).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA would have been motivated to use the teachings of CORBALIS as it provides a ISO standard session security protocol (¶23) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA with teachings of CORBALIS in order to improve standard compliant security protocol thereby improving compatibility.
Claim(s) 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NARULA (US 20240031136) in view of PATWARDHAN et al (US 10383037)
Regarding claim 19, NARULA et al (US 20240031136) discloses reader wireless device of claim 16, wherein the reader wireless device is further configured to:
receive information configuring at least a reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶15, ¶48, the reader device is programmed with an identifier (equivalent to receiving the information configuring the group identifier)); and
transmit, wirelessly, a second advertisement indication that comprises the reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, the peripheral device transmits this identifier (group identity key) in an advertisement indication).
NARULA remains silent regarding reader group identifier being a second reader group identifier, and the advertisement indication being a second advertisement indication.
However, PATWARDHAN et al discloses reader group identifier being a second reader group identifier, and the advertisement indication being a second advertisement indication (PATWARDHAN: col. 3: 4-16, col. 4: 49-51, each BLE device is configured with/ receives and advertise multiple UUIDs; col. 5: 40-58, each UUID is for a respective group and the matching UUID establishes the connection for the group with a client of a corresponding tenant).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO would have been motivated to use the teachings of PATWARDHAN as it provides a multi-tenant connection for peripheral devices through the BLE device, Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO with teachings of PATWARDHAN in order to improve scalability of the network a utilization of the peripheral devices.
Regarding claim 20, NARULA discloses reader wireless device of claim 16, wherein the reader wireless device is further configured to: receive information configuring at least a reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: ¶15, ¶48, the reader device is programmed with an identifier (equivalent to receiving the information configuring the group identifier)); and
wherein the advertisement indication comprises the second reader group identifier associated with the reader wireless device (NARULA: Fig. 5, ¶57, the peripheral device transmits this identifier (group identity key) in an advertisement indication).
NARULA remains silent regarding reader group identifier being a second reader group identifier, and the advertisement indication further comprising a second advertisement indication.
However, PATWARDHAN et al discloses reader group identifier being a second reader group identifier, and the advertisement indication further comprising a second advertisement indication. (PATWARDHAN: col. 3: 4-16, col. 4: 49-51, each BLE device is configured with/ receives and advertise multiple UUIDs; col. 5: 40-58, each UUID is for a respective group and the matching UUID establishes the connection for the group with a client of a corresponding tenant).
A person of ordinary skill in the art working with the invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO would have been motivated to use the teachings of PATWARDHAN as it provides a multi-tenant connection for peripheral devices through the BLE device, Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify invention of NARULA modified by HASHIMOTO with teachings of PATWARDHAN in order to improve scalability of the network a utilization of the peripheral devices.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Document U discloses “transferring method for identity data such as electronic passport or other identification document data between two mobile devices, i.e. mobile identity holder and reader, over a BLE channel and propose the definition of a new GATT (Generic Attributes) profile suitable for mobile identity applications.”
Document V discloses “addresses the privacy and security challenges that RFID Access Control Systems face and solutions to solve these challenges without relying on back–end database but only the RF subsystem.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMER S MIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7524. The examiner can normally be reached M,T,W,Th: 10a-7p, Fri, 9a-12p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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OMER S. MIAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2461
/OMER S MIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461