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 .
The following is a final office action in response to the amendments filed 09/02/2025. Amendments received on 09/02/2025 have been entered. As per applicant claims 2-3, 14-17 and 21 were previously canceled. Accordingly claims 1, 4-13, 18-20 and 22 are pending.
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.
Claims 1, 4-13, 18-20 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Baker et al. (US Pub 2017/0236354).
As of claims 1, 19, 20 and 22, Baker disclose a method for preparing for the start-up of a control unit (base station/gateway 102) for access devices (barrier operators 1 and 2), wherein at least one access device is communicatively connected to the control unit (see fig. 1), wherein the control unit has a communication interface for information technology communication with a mobile terminal (base station/gateway 102 communicating with a mobile device 108) and/or has an input device for detecting an input from an installer or is in communicative connection with an input device for detecting an input from an installer (base station/gateway 102 comprising an interface to receive user inputs; see paragraphs [0049]),
wherein the method includes the following steps:
a) detecting, using the control unit, an information technology signal or a change in an existing information technology continuous signal of a mobile terminal by the communication interface, and/or detecting an input from an installer using the input device (Baker discloses that the use of mobile device 108 to control the barrier operators connected to the gateway 102 (see paragraph [0152]). So, in the system of Baker the user can install and program the gateway and the barrier operators as disclosed in paragraph [0099]-[0101]). Once the installation is done, the user can use the mobile device to issue a command to the barrier operator 104/106 through the gateway 102, which is interpreted as detecting an information technology signal using the control unit (gateway) (see paragraph [0152])
b) sending a trigger signal from the control unit to the access device connected to the control unit (via the gateway 102 transmitting the command to the barrier operator; see paragraphs [0139] and [0152]),
c) receiving the trigger signal using the access device, and d) performing an action using the access device depending on the received trigger signal (via the barrier operator receiving the command (receiving the trigger signal), and executes the command (performing an action; see paragraph [0152])),
identifying associated access devices, which are assigned together to a common control unit, identifying using the mobile terminal, one of the access devices, which is communicatively connected to the common control unit by method steps a) to d), and concluding that the control unit is communicatively connected to all associated access devices (in the system of Baker the base station/gateway 102 registers a plurality of barrier operators, namely, barrier operator 1 and barrier operator 2, so the registration steps disclosed in paragraphs [0100]-[0101] will be used to register both barrier operators with the base station/gateway 102 and will result in concluding that the base station/gateway 102 is connected to both barrier operators. Baker discloses that the after executing the command the barrier operator sends a signal to the gateway that the command has been executed and the gateway sends the information to mobile device (see figs 4a-4D; also see paragraphs [0152]-[0154]),
wherien the action performed in step d) is an action perceptible to an installer (see fig. 4A-4D, user interface for a wireless application that is installed on the mobile device. Baker discloses that the gateway 102 sends information regarding the activated command to the mobile device which are displayed (perceptible) to the user; see paragraph [0153]-[0154]).
As of claim 4, Baker discloses that the installer makes an input into the mobile terminal, wherein the input comprises information about which control unit detects or has detected an information technology signal or a change in an existing continuous information technology signal in step a) or at the input device from which control device an input is performed or has been performed in step a) by the installer, and/or which access device is performing or has performed the action in step d) (via an installer using a mobile device to register the barrier operator 1 and 2 with the base station/gateway 102; see paragraph [0099]-[0100]).
As of claim 5, Baker discloses that the action performed by the access device in step d) is a target function of the access device and/or a target function of an access component of the access device (see paragraphs [00100]-[0101], “If the transmitted password matches the password for the barrier operator, the barrier operator sends a registration request for the barrier operator to the gateway device”).
As of claim 6, Baker discloses that the action performed by the access device in step d) comprises emitting a perceptible signal by the access device by a signal output device of the access device (see paragraph [0153] “immediately after the ‘close door’ command is executed by barrier operator 106, a monitoring signal is sent from barrier operator to gateway device 102 to indicate that the command has been executed. Gateway device 102 then sends basic status information (as opposed to real time data as to the position of the garage door) regarding the activated command to mobile device 108 to drive an animation displayed in the wireless application's user interface”).
As of claim 7, Baker discloses that the action performed by the access device in step d) comprises transmitting an information technology signal from the access device or modifying an existing permanent information technology signal of the access device (see fig. 1; also see paragraphs [00100]-[0101], “If the transmitted password matches the password for the barrier operator, the barrier operator sends a registration request for the barrier operator to the gateway device”).
As of claim 8, Baker discloses that method includes the following step: e) detecting the transmitted information technology signal of the access device or detecting the change in the existing continuous information technology signal of the access device using the mobile terminal (see paragraphs [0100]-[0101], via base station 102/gateway detecting the confirmation signal from the barrier operator 1).
As of claim 9, Baker discloses that depending on the signal detected in step e) or the change in the existing continuous signal detected in step e), information is obtained or derived about which access device transmitted the information technology signal in step d) or the continuous information technology signal of which access device was changed in step e) (via receiving the signal from the barrier operator and registering the barrier operator with the base station/gateway 102 and since base station receives signal from barrier operator 1 and barrier operator 2 it derives information from the signal transmitted by the operators to determine which operator sent the signal; see paragraph [0101]).
As of claim 10, Baker discloses the mobile terminal communicates with a server via a direct or indirect network connection (via mobile device 108 communicating with server 112), wherein the server has a digital representation of the access devices, wherein the digital representation comprises association information from which it can be derived which of the access devices are assigned together to a common control unit and are or should be communicatively connected thereto, wherein the mobile terminal accesses the association information of the digital representation (Baker discloses that the mobile device 108 transmits a command to the gateway 102 through server 112 and server relays the commands to the gateway 102, since server 102 stores the information regarding which gateway 102 to transmit the commands to, to control the barrier operator, it has association information of the gateway 102 with the barrier operators 1 and 2; see fig. 1; see paragraph [0152]).
As of claim 11, Baker discloses the method includes the following steps: identifying associated access devices, which are assigned together to a common control unit, based on the association information of the digital representation (Baker discloses that the mobile device 108 transmits a command to the gateway 102 through server 112 and server relays the commands to the gateway 102, since server 102 stores the information regarding which gateway 102 to transmit the commands to, to control the barrier operator, it has association information of the gateway 102 with the barrier operators 1 and 2; see fig. 1; see paragraph [0152]),
- displaying the associated access devices on a display device of the mobile terminal (via displaying the barrier operator on the mobile device; see fig. 4),
identifying one of the access devices, which is communicatively connected to the common control unit the control unit that performs step a)—by method steps a) to d), and concluding that the control unit that performs step a)—is communicatively connected to all associated access devices, storing a verification indicator on the mobile terminal and/or on the server for those associated access devices whose associated control unit is identified and/or linking the respective access devices the associated digital representation (In the system of Baker once the gateway 102 register barrier operators 1 and 2, registers the mobile device, that association is stored so the mobile device 108 could be used to control the operation of the barrier operators via the gateway 102; see paragraph [0150]-[0154]). Examiner would further like to point that in the system of Baker once the system is set up the user can perform the steps of opening/closing the barrier operator using the mobile device through the server and gateway and then gateway sends status information regarding the activated command to the mobile device 108 which indicates to the user that the system is properly set up and working; see paragraphs [0152]- [0153]).
As of claim 12, Baker discloses that the method includes the following step: storing a verification indicator on a mobile terminal and/or on a server for those associated access devices whose associated control unit is identified and/or linking the respective access devices with the associated digital representation (via server 102 configurable to mirror the state of the barrier operator and registered client devices (or a subset thereof) that are stored on the gateway device; see paragraph [0038]).
As of claim 13, Baker discloses that the mobile terminal and/or a server has a digital representation of the access devices, wherein the digital representation comprises configuration data that defines a target mode of operation of the access devices, wherein the method further comprises: making the configuration data available on an associated control unit in order to enable the control unit to control the access devices that are in communicative connection therewith according to the target mode of operation; and/or making the configuration data available on an associated control unit and forwarding parts of the configuration data to the access devices in communicative connection with this control unit in order to configure the access devices according to their target mode of operation; and/or making the configuration data available on an associated control unit and forwarding parts of the configuration data to the access components of the access devices that are in communicative connection with this control unit in order to configure the access components according to their target mode of operation (via making the operating characteristic data available on base station/gateway 102 in order to enable the base station/gateway 102 to control the barrier operator 1 or 2 that are in communicative connection therewith according to the target mode of operation; see paragraph [0102]-[0107]).
As of claim 18, Baker discloses an access component of an access device performs the action in step d), wherein the access component is assigned to the associated access device by the trigger signal sent in step b) and/or by the action performed in step d; Baker discloses that the barrier operators comprise a transceiver and performs the steps as disclosed in claim 1 above, hence comprising an access component; see rejection of claim 1).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/02/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant's argument that the reference fails to show certain features of applicant’s invention, it is noted that this feature upon which applicant relies (i.e., Advantageously, by recognizing the access device which performs the action, the installer is able to then choose a corresponding button on the mobile terminal, so as to match the recognized access device to the corresponding button. Applicant respectfully points out that this is especially useful when several identical access devices are installed. Moreover, this is neither taught nor described by Baker (page 3 lines 1-6 of the Remarks) is not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
With regards to the newly added limitation “wherien the action performed in step d) is an action perceptible to an installer, Baker discloses that the after executing the command the barrier operator sends a signal to the gateway that the command has been executed and the gateway sends the information to mobile device (see figs 4a-4D; also see paragraphs [0152]-[0154]), wherien the action performed in step d) is an action perceptible to an installer (see fig. 4A-4D, user interface for a wireless application that is installed on the mobile device. Baker discloses that the gateway 102 sends information regarding the activated command to the mobile device which are displayed (perceptible) to the user; see paragraph [0153]- [0154]).
Based on the explanation given above it is the Examiner’s position that the reference applied discloses the invention as claimed in the present application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Frenette et al. (US Pub 2018/0075731) discloses a testing system for access control device wherein the testing system provides configuration information to security devices within the subsystems, where the configuration information includes associations between the devices of the subsystems for executing testing upon the devices in the associations (see abstract).
Barry et al. (US Pub 2016/0364927) discloses that when testing a new installation, every portal must be verified as operating in compliance with a prescribed standard. To further illustrate the advantages of a virtual test, the user may configure a batch test that subjects all the newly installed controlled portal to a virtual access attempt from every valid user. Responses to the test may be automatically analyzed, and detected faults presented either to the user for investigation or to further automated diagnostics (see paragraphs [0157]-[0159]).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NABIL H SYED whose telephone number is (571)270-3028. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Zimmerman can be reached at 571-272-3059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NABIL H SYED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686