DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-20 are rejected in the Instant Application.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 is 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.
Status of claims
Claims 1, 14, 15 have been amended
Claim 5 has been cancelled
Claim 21 is a newly added claim
Claims 1-4, 6-20 are pending in the instant application
Claims 1-4, 6-20 are rejected in the instant application
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4, 5-20 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection. The amendments filed 11/27/25 changed the scope of the claims, based on the amendments a change in reference(s) was required.
Examiner kindly suggests prior to filing a response, the applicant set up a formal interview with the examiner such that details about specific limitations can be clarified inventive concept clearly defined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chevrette et al. (US20110193718A1) hereinafter Chevrette in view of Min et al. (US20170164224A1) hereinafter Min.
Regarding claims 1, 15, 19: Chevrette teaches a fixed terminal device used in a communicable range with both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network different from the first wireless communication network, the fixed terminal device comprising (¶0009 see present invention provides an innovative system, method and integrated circuit chip for wireless multi-network data collection, device-control, telemetry, and telematics. This is accomplished by providing a wireless data-transfer device with multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's) for accessing different wireless networks):
a sensor device (¶0034 see The remote asset may have its own sensors or transducers for generating its own data and for sharing this data) configured to detect a detection target (¶0034 see one or more sensors to collects its own data about the asset);
a first reader that reads authentication information for connecting to the first wireless communication network; a second reader that reads authentication information for connecting to the second wireless communication network (¶0031 see A wireless data-transfer device contains an integrated circuit chip having a memory that stores multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's for a GSM, UMTS or LTE implementation). These multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's) (readers) enable access to a plurality of different wireless networks, one of which can be selected at any time by the wireless data-transfer device (based on network selection rules) or by any external agent controlling said device in order to transmit the asset data over any desired network for which a valid IMSI (or other subscriber identifier) has been provided. This enables the wireless data-transfer device to instantly and intelligently switch between carriers, thereby providing communication redundancy and the ability to optimize data-transmission charges, or to use different networks for different types of assets and/or recipients – IMSI readers are interpreted as first and second reader. ¶0052 see The HLR forwards the IMSI to the Authentication Center (AuC) for authentication triplets (RAND, Kc, SRES). The AuC generates the triplets and sends them back with the IMSI to the HLR. The HLR then validates the IMSI to make sure that the device with that IMSI is actually entitled to be on the network.);
a hardware processor that determines a data of the detection target (¶0040 see wireless data-transfer device 200 is presented in greater detail in FIG. 2. In the embodiment presented in FIG. 2, this device 200 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 202 (also referred to herein as a processor or microprocessor) and a memory 204 for storing raw and transformed data ¶0041 see The air interface 230 in this example is configured for GSM/UMTS mobile communications. The air interface includes a radiofrequency transceiver for sending and receiving data over the air. The SIM/USIM 220 includes a memory for storing subscriber identifiers 222 (e.g. multiple IMSI's) and logic defining a set of network selection rules 224. The network selection rules are applied to determine which network 112 to utilize for the transmission of data. The network selection rules may be configurable and/or reconfigurable either at the device 200 and/or over-the-air by an external agent such as, for example, by the subscriber management platform 140 ¶0034 see The remote asset may have its own sensors or transducers for generating its own data and for sharing this data with the data-transfer device. Alternatively, the data-transfer device may include one or more sensors to collects its own data about the asset); and
a transmitter that, after the wireless communication network selected by the hardware processor is authenticated by using the authentication information, transmits the transmission data by using the wireless communication network that has been authenticated (¶0048 see using a wireless data-transfer device to communicate data from a remote asset to a remotely located recipient. A first aspect of this method is network selection. This aspect of the method is summarized generally by the flowchart presented in FIG. 3. As shown in this flowchart, the network-selection aspect of the method in broad terms entails a first step of determining which one of a plurality of wireless networks to utilize for transmitting the asset data to the recipient. Accordingly, at step 310, the network selection rules are applied to select a wireless network for transmitting the data. ¶0052 see the HLR then forwards the IMSI and the authentication triplets to the MSC/VLR. Authentication is then performed using the RAND challenge and signed response (SRES) as it would for a single-IMSI device (i.e. a regular GSM phone). If the SRES matches the pre-computed value in the base station, the device can then communicate using an encrypted algorithm in the SIM card (e.g. A5) for which the base station has received the session key Kc).
Chevrette teaches sensor data however does not explicitly teach state of detection target
Min however in the same field of computer networking teaches state of detection target ()
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art of computer networking at the effective filing date of the claimed invention given the sensor data of Chevrette and the teachings of Min for sensors providing target state data to combine the teachings such that Chevrette utilizes the state data as taught by Min. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the results of the combination are predictable because each element in the combination is merely performing the same function it would perform separately. One would be motivated to combine these teachings because doing so will allow for managing the state of a device in a certain space without installing any additional device (Min ¶0008)
Regarding claims 2, 16: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication network is a private wireless line, and the second wireless communication network is a wireless line of a mobile telecommunications carrier or a public wireless line (Chevrette Fig 2 see LANs WANs and GSM networks) .
Regarding claim 3: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network are compliant with a same communication standard (Chevrette ¶0041 see the wireless data-transfer device 200 includes a wireless wide area network (WWAN) interface 210 for interfacing with the base station towers of the various networks 112 of the GSM/UMTS network 110. The WWAN interface 210 includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM/USIM) 220 and an air interface 230. The air interface 230 in this example is configured for GSM/UMTS mobile communications. The air interface includes a radiofrequency transceiver for sending and receiving data over the air).
Regarding claim 4: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network are wireless communication networks satisfying a regulation for a fifth generation wireless communication system (Chevrette ¶0048 see aspect of this invention is a method of using a wireless data-transfer device to communicate data from a remote asset to a remotely located recipient. A first aspect of this method is network selection. This aspect of the method is summarized generally by the flowchart presented in FIG. 3. As shown in this flowchart, the network-selection aspect of the method in broad terms entails a first step of determining which one of a plurality of wireless networks to utilize for transmitting the asset data to the recipient. Accordingly, at step 310, the network selection rules are applied to select a wireless network for transmitting the data. This may be based on the type of data (which asset has provided the data), the intended recipient, the time of day, data transmission charges, or any other factor. At step 320, the IMSI (or other subscriber identifier) is then selected from the chip (e.g. SIM) corresponding to the wireless network that has been chosen. At step 330, a wireless link is established with the chosen wireless network using the IMSI for that chosen network [nothing specific is implied regarding fifth generation in the limitations – thus the network selection process implies 5g network can be selected]).
Regarding claim 5: The already combined references teach the further teaches the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data according to a state of a detection target of the sensor device (Chevrette ¶0048 see aspect of this invention is a method of using a wireless data-transfer device to communicate data from a remote asset to a remotely located recipient. A first aspect of this method is network selection. This aspect of the method is summarized generally by the flowchart presented in FIG. 3. As shown in this flowchart, the network-selection aspect of the method in broad terms entails a first step of determining which one of a plurality of wireless networks to utilize for transmitting the asset data to the recipient. Accordingly, at step 310, the network selection rules are applied to select a wireless network for transmitting the data. This may be based on the type of data (which asset has provided the data), the intended recipient, the time of day, data transmission charges, or any other factor. At step 320, the IMSI (or other subscriber identifier) is then selected from the chip (e.g. SIM) corresponding to the wireless network that has been chosen. At step 330, a wireless link is established with the chosen wireless network using the IMSI for that chosen network ¶0034 see remote asset may have its own sensors or transducers for generating its own data and for sharing this data with the data-transfer device ).
Regarding claim 6: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data according to a confidentiality level of the data from the sensor device (Chevrette ¶0031 see remote asset may be a utility meter, a vehicle (such as a car, truck, bus, motorcycle, ATV, snowmobile, watercraft, aircraft, etc.), machinery, equipment, or appliance (e.g. HVAC unit, Point-of-Sale (POS) device, smart appliance, etc.) or any type of monitoring device (alarm system, tele-health monitor, etc.) In other words, this technology can be applied to virtually any remote asset that is deployed globally or at least over an expansive area.).
Regarding claim 7: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data by using time information (Chevrette ¶0048 see network selection rules are applied to select a wireless network for transmitting the data. This may be based on the type of data (which asset has provided the data), the intended recipient, the time of day, data transmission charges, or any other factor.).
Regarding claim 8: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor device includes a plurality of sensors, and the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data according to a sensor to be driven among the plurality of sensors (Chevrette ¶0034 see The remote asset may have its own sensors or transducers for generating its own data and for sharing this data with the data-transfer device. Alternatively, the data-transfer device may include one or more sensors to collects its own data about the asset).
Regarding claim 9: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 2, wherein an information amount of transmission data transmitted by using the second wireless communication network is smaller than an information amount of transmission data transmitted by using the first wireless communication network (Chevrette ¶0009 see Each IMSI allows access to a different wireless network. Multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's) are provided on the chip to enable the wireless data-transfer device to choose which one of a plurality of wireless networks to use to transmit the asset data. Because the chip contains multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's), the wireless data-transfer device is able to select one particular network from among the plurality of wireless networks. Network selection rules may be provided as logic on the chip to enable the chip to select which network to use for data transmission.).
Regarding claims 10, 17: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein:
the hardware processor processes data from the sensor device (Chevrette ¶0034), and the hardware processor performs data processing of any one of encryption processing, mosaic processing, conversion processing into audio information, and conversion processing into text information is performed on data from the sensor device in accordance with the wireless communication network, and generates the transmission data (Chevrette ¶0052 see the device can then communicate using an encrypted algorithm in the SIM card (e.g. A5) for which the base station has received the session key Kc. The encryption portion is thus also the same as for regular GSM/UMTS communications).
Regarding claims 11, 18: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein:
the hardware processor processes data from the sensor device (Chevrette ¶0034), and
the hardware processor performs data processing of any one of encryption processing, mosaic processing, conversion processing into audio information, and conversion processing into text information on data from the sensor device and generates the transmission data (Chevrette ¶0052 see the device can then communicate using an encrypted algorithm in the SIM card (e.g. A5) for which the base station has received the session key Kc. The encryption portion is thus also the same as for regular GSM/UMTS communications)., and
the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data on a basis of the transmission data generated by the data processing unit (Chevrette ¶0036 see The wireless data-transfer 200 device has a radiofrequency transceiver (wireless wide area network interface) for wirelessly transmitting the data and an integrated circuit chip (to be described in greater detail below) having a memory for storing a plurality of subscriber identifiers corresponding to different wireless networks and for further storing logic that apply network selection rules for selecting one of the wireless networks to use for transmission of the data).
Regarding claim 12: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1,
wherein a notification content of the transmission data is set according to the wireless communication network selected by the hardware processor (Chevrette ¶0034 see This novel technology may be used to transmit data from one meter or from a plurality of different meters. As another tangible example, the technology may also be applied to the monitoring of vehicles (or other vehicle telematics) as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. As yet a further example, the technology may furthermore be applied to smart appliances in the household and/or to tele-health monitors as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. As such, it should be understood that a remote asset may be a mobile asset or an immobile asset. The remote asset may have its own sensors or transducers for generating its own data and for sharing this data with the data-transfer device.).
Regarding claim 13: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein:
The hardware processor detects an abnormality of a detection target of the sensor device, and when the hardware processor detects an abnormality, alarm information according to the wireless communication network selected by the hardware processor is generated and transmitted (Chevrette ¶0034 see where both the asset and the data-transfer device have the same sensor, the data-transfer device may either deactivate its own sensor and obtain data only from the asset or it may choose to utilize only its own data. [abnormality is the same sensor and processor makes to send data interpreted as alarm information no information on what is alarm information is defined in the limitations ])
Regarding claim 14: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 1, wherein:
the hardware processor that detects an abnormality of a detection target of the sensor device, and the hardware processor selects a wireless communication network to transmit the transmission data according to a detection result by the abnormality detection unit (Chevrette ¶0034 see where both the asset and the data-transfer device have the same sensor, the data-transfer device may either deactivate its own sensor and obtain data only from the asset or it may choose to utilize only its own data. [abnormality is the same sensor and processor makes a decision on which to use])
Regarding claim 20: The already combined references teach the fixed terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the first wireless communication network and the second wireless communication network are compliant with a same communication standard (Chevrette ¶0031 see A wireless data-transfer device contains an integrated circuit chip having a memory that stores multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's for a GSM, UMTS or LTE implementation). These multiple subscriber identifiers (e.g. multiple IMSI's) enable access to a plurality of different wireless networks, one of which can be selected at any time by the wireless data-transfer device (based on network selection rules) or by any external agent controlling said device in order to transmit the asset data over any desired network for which a valid IMSI (or other subscriber identifier) has been provided. This enables the wireless data-transfer device to instantly and intelligently switch between carriers, thereby providing communication redundancy and the ability to optimize data-transmission charges, or to use different networks for different types of assets and/or recipients).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
References are cited not only for their quoted language but for all that they teach.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Atta Khan whose telephone number is 571-270-7364. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 09:00-6:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vivek Srivastava can be reached on (571) 272-7304. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ATTA KHAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2449
Prosecution Insights