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
Claims 1-10 and 14-22 are presented for examination
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13 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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-10, and 15-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Decamp (US Patent Application 20190025353).
As per claim 1, Decamp teaches a method [900, fig. 9] comprising the steps of:
determining electricity usage of a plurality of devices operating within one or more local networks, wherein determining electricity usage of a plurality of devices operating within one or more local networks comprises the steps of [0035-0036, fig. 6, as shown in figure 6, multiple devices can be connected to multiple routers where the power consumption of the devices can be determined. For example, this system monitors, manages as well as collects energy consumption data (including power related information, other electrical parameters, metadata for real time and future analysis though hardware devices)]:
determining a device type for each device operating within the one or more local networks [0138, 0140, in the database, the device type can be identified. For example, the power management device or network service can match an actual power signature 2202 to an expected power signature 2204 in an identification database. When the signatures match, a device type 2200 (such as a model of a device, such as a Dell 1708FP monitor) can be identified as a device plugged into the power management device].
retrieving from a data storage, data indicating electricity usage for the device type of each device [0142- 0143, fig. 23, as pointed out device information can be gathered and reported. For example, a power management device can also be associated with the people, desk or place. During inventory, a power management system can identify device types coupled to each configurable state power connector and report back to the enhanced asset management system].
maintaining in a data store external to each local network, data representing the determined electricity usage for each device of the plurality of devices and data identifying the device local network of the device [0125-0126, 0128, fig. 19, as shown figure 19 similarly to figure 6, power consumption of the devices connected to the network are identified. In this case, multiple devices can be connected to a single network or multiple routers. For example, schematic diagram illustrating a power management system with a power management device with an identification service. In the embodiment shown, a power management device 1902 receives power from a power source 1904 (e.g., a wall socket, battery, fuel cell, etc.) and communicates with a network service 1906 through a network 1912 (such as the Internet or an intranet].
determining a power mode of the plurality of devices, wherein the data indicating the electricity usage includes electricity usage during a low power mode and a high power mode of at least one device type [0136, fig. 21, as pointed out multiple devices can be identified with their power modes. For example, between a high idle threshold 2118 and a low idle threshold 2120, a power signature of the device indicates an idle status 2108 of the device (e.g., a printer or computer in standby mode). Below the low idle threshold 2120, the device can be considered to be in an off state 2110, and off-state (also called vampiric) power use can be identified].
As per claim 2, Decamp teaches the step of: executing one or more actions based on the data representing the determined electricity usage [0078, 0158, as pointed out, the system can take action to power on and power off devices. For example, the action is to electronically switch off power to the first power connector, transmit an alert message, or perform a time-delayed action].
As per claim 3, Decamp teaches one or more actions comprises changing a mode of operation of at least one of the plurality of devices [0047, 0167, as shown in figure 1, sending signal to turn off specific devices. For example, instruct the microcontroller 120 to control the I/O module 130 to turn on or off one or more of the relay switches 150, 160, 170, 180].
As per claim 5, Decamp teaches step of switching one or more of the devices of the plurality of devices from a high power mode to a low power mode or switching off one or more of the devices [0047, 0167, as shown in figure 1, sending signal to turn off specific devices. For example, instruct the microcontroller 120 to control the I/O module 130 to turn on or off one or more of the relay switches 150, 160, 170, 180].
As per claim 6, Decamp teaches one or more actions are implemented as power management commands stored within the data store and transmitted to one or more devices of the plurality of devices [0076, 0078, data transmission to devices. For example, a central repository for all the energy consumption information, other electrical data, and/or metadata that is transmitted back to base from the end devices 710, 715, 720. The information is stored in a database format consisting of time, energy consumption, other electrical data, metadata location and end device health].
As per claim 7, Decamp teaches data representing the determined electricity usage is updated and stored or synchronised continuously [0134, update configuration as well as sensor continuous data feed].
As per claim 8, Decamp teaches the step of determining electricity usage of the plurality of devices operating within the one or more local networks further comprises the step of receiving from each device data providing the electricity usage [0144, 0147 retrieving data stored in the server].
As per claim 9, Decamp teaches data received from each device is a standardised format and includes an identifier of the device [0146, retrieve device identifier. For example, the power management device determines a device identifier associated with the power on signature that matches the sampled power usage].
As per claim 10, Decamp teaches the standardised format is any one of: matter; broadband forum, BBF; and comma separated variable, CSV [0086, figure 15 show power data and other information in a tabulated form].
As per claim 15, Decamp teaches retrieving from the data store data representing the determined electricity usage for each device in at least one of the plurality of local networks; and providing the retrieved data to a server external to the local network [0146-0147, retrieving data from the data store].
As per claim 16, Decamp teaches retrieved data to a server external to the local network further comprises providing a response to an application programming interface, API, request issued by the server external to the local network [0141, 0144, power usage request from the power management of devices connected in the network].
As per claim 17, Decamp teaches the provided data includes location data of the at least one local network [0073, 0125, as shown in figure 6 and 19, the data can be specific to a local network. For example, the power management devices are configured in a cluster tree configuration. Each end device is configured in a reduced functionality mode for reduced power consumption, operations simplicity, and cost effectiveness. The end devices may be implemented, for example, using one or more of the power board 1000 of FIG. 10 and/or the power management device 1100 of FIG. 11. The end devices communicate to a ZigBee router].
As per claim 18, Decamp teaches the details of the plurality of devices operating within the local network comprises any one or more of: device name; device type; location; IP address; MAC address; and brand [0092, 00142, as pointed out, an asset management system can tag each configurable state power connector of a power management device with asset information, such as asset name, asset tag and device type. During inventory, a power management system can identify device types coupled to each configurable state power connector and report back to the enhanced asset management system].
As per claim 21, Decamp teaches the plurality of devices includes any one or more of: a television; a computer; a refrigerator; a freezer; a smart phone; a camera; a washing machine; a dryer; a water heater; a dish washer; and/or an oven [0138, device type such as specific Dell computer and model number].
As per claim 22, Decamp teaches the data indicating the electricity usage includes a stored electricity consumption parameter associated with a low power mode and a stored electricity consumption parameter associated with a high power mode [0136, 0138 power mode, device status and so forth can be stored in the database].
As per claims 19 and 20, they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in the rejected claims above. Therefore, claims 19 and 20 are also anticipated by Decamp for the same reasons set forth in the rejected claims above.
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 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 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable Decamp (US Patent Application 20190025353) in the view of Cariou (US Patent Application 20210337475).
As per claim 4, Decamp does not teach changing the mode of operation is to switch off one or more Wi-Fi bands of the at least one of the plurality of devices.
However, Cariou teaches changing the mode of operation is to switch off one or more Wi-Fi bands of the at least one of the plurality of devices [0081, 0104 as pointed out the power of the access point or network device can be controlled by turning off specific band].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Decamp to include the design of Cariou in order to switch off band to reduce power consumption of the devices.
As per claim 14, Decamp does not teach the step of determining electricity usage of the plurality of devices operating within the one or more local networks further comprises: determining a Wi-Fi signal strength of at least one of the plurality of devices operating within the local network.
However, Cariou teaches the step of determining electricity usage of the plurality of devices operating within the one or more local networks further comprises: determining a Wi-Fi signal strength of at least one of the plurality of devices operating within the local network [0074-0075, the frame may be able to analyze and determine when null and make a decision accordingly].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Decamp to include the design of Cariou to check signal and frame data.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lyons (US 20190064234) teaches system and method for assessing electrical energy or power characteristics for features of electrical devices.
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/VOLVICK DEROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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