Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to communication filed 6/08/26.
Response to Amendment
The examiner acknowledges the cancellation of claims 1-27,31-32,35, and 39-40.
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments filed 6/08/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the references of Fan and Austin are silent on teaching the limitation of transmitting a request to a session control unit to increase or decrease the periodicity of at least one position activation reference signal burst. It is the examiner’s position that the reference of Austin teaches determining if the tag is moving or is stationary based on the detected phase of the backscattered signal from the tag (paragraph 36-37). The increasing or decreasing periodicity of the positioning activation reference signal burst is based on whether or not the tag is determined to be moving (paragraph 043) and the request to increase or decrease the periodicity of the positioning activation reference signal burst is represented by the determination of whether the tag is moving or is stationary. Austin teaches session control (the operation of the RFID reader) is controlled by the processor (paragraph 035).
In response to applicant’s argument that the reference of Austin fails to teach or suggest a separate processor and a separate session control unit, it is the examiner’s position that the applicant’s claimed limitation is broader than argued, the claims does not recite any limitation to indicate that the processor and session control unit is required to housed in separate housing.
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.
Claim(s) 28-30,33,36-38, and 41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan et al. US Patent 9551780 in view of Austin US Patent Application Publication 20140285324.
Regarding claim 28, Fan et al. teaches an apparatus comprising: at least one processor (col. 3 lines 65-col. 4 line 14); and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (col. 4 lines 4-14), cause the apparatus at least to: determine whether a back-scatter (the use of the energy from the energy from the signal receive from the reader to power the tag for generating a repose represents backscatter, see US 20170336428, paragraph 028) signal for at least one known tag identifier was received for each of at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 5 lines 6-18;25-29); determine whether more than one back-scatter signal for the at least one known tag identifier was received for the first of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 5 lines 52-55, col. 7 lines 1-8); determine whether a first increase in a total energy of at least one positioning activation reference signal burst was performed below a granularity threshold and calculate a charge time of an ambient tag based upon a first iteration (col. 5 lines 19-39, col. 6 lines 37-51). Fan et al. is silent on teaching executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit to increase or decrease a periodicity of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst. Austin in an analogous art teaches at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit to decrease or increase a periodicity of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (paragraph 043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Fan et al. as disclosed by Austin because such modification represents an improvement over the system Fan et al. by allowing the location of the tag to be updated on a regular basis as needed.
Regarding claim 29, Fan et al. teaches the at least one memory and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit to increase a total energy of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 6 lines 12-26).
Regarding claim 30, Fan et al. teaches the at least one memory and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit to decrease a total energy of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 6 lines 12-26).
Regarding claim 33, Fan et al. teaches the at least one memory and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit for positioning activation reference signal burst refinement (calibration, col. 5 lines 40-51).
Regarding claim 36, Fan et al. teaches a method comprising: determining, by a user equipment reader, whether a back-scatter signal scatter (the use of the energy from the energy from the signal receive from the reader to power the tag for generating a repose represents backscatter, see US 20170336428, paragraph 028) for at least one known tag identifier was received for each of at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 5 lines 6-18;25-29); determining, by the user equipment reader, whether more than one back-scatter signal for the at least one known tag identifier was received for the first of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 5 lines 52-55, col. 7 lines 1-8); determining, by the user equipment reader, whether a first increase in a total energy of at least one positioning activation reference signal burst was performed below a granularity threshold (col. 5 lines 19-39, col. 6 lines 37-51);-and calculating, by the user equipment reader, a charge time of an ambient tag based upon a first iteration (col. 5 lines 19-39, col. 6 lines 37-51). Fan et al. is silent on teaching transmitting a request to a session control unit to increase or decrease the periodicity of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst. Austin in an analogous art teaches at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit to decrease or increase a periodicity of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (paragraph 043).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Fan et al. as disclosed by Austin and transmitting a request to a session control unit to increase or decrease a periodicity of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst.
Regarding claim 37, Fan et al. teaches transmitting, by the user equipment reader, a request to a session control unit to increase a total energy of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 6 lines 12-26).
Regarding claim 38, fan et al. teaches transmitting, by the user equipment reader, a request to a session control unit to decrease a total energy of the at least one positioning activation reference signal burst (col. 6 lines 12-26).
Regarding claim 41, Fan et al. teaches the at least one memory and the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus at least to: transmit a request to a session control unit for positioning activation reference signal burst refinement (calibration, col. 5 lines 40-51).
Claim(s) 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. US Patent Application Publication 20240023020 in view of Austin US Patent Application Publication 20140285324.
Regarding claim 34, Wang et al. teaches an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: perform a first determination as to whether a first energy level of a positioning activation reference signal burst is above a first threshold at a passive ambient Internet of things tag to charge and back-scatter an intentional discharge response by monitoring back-scattered signals from the ambient Internet of things tag and based on at least one of the first determination or the second determination not being fulfilled, request a session control unit to at least one of: increase a total energy of the positioning activation reference signal (095,103-0104). Wang is silent on teaching perform a second determination as to whether a first periodicity of a positioning activation reference signal is above a second threshold at the passive ambient Internet of things tag to charge and back-scatter the intentional discharge response. Wang teaches repeat performing the first determination. performing the second determination, and the requesting until at least one back-scattered intentional discharge from a known tag is generated by providing multiple feedback regarding energy state (paragraph 0107-0109). Austin in an analogous art teaches determining of a positioning activation reference signal (paragraph 037) and teaches changing the periodicity of the transmission of the integration signal based on whether the RFID tag is stationary or moving (paragraph 043, 050,056) and further inherently affecting the charging of the RFID tag.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Wang et al. as disclosed by Austin because such modification represents an improvement over the system of Wang by ensuring the RFID tag is adequately supplied with power and further improving the reliability of the system.
Conclusion
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 VERNAL U BROWN whose telephone number is (571)272-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM, EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached at 571 270 1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/VERNAL U BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
Prosecution Insights