DETAILED ACTION
This Final Office Action is in response to amendment filed on 04/16/2026. Claims 1, 9, 12, 23, 27 have been amended. Claims 4-5 and 20-21 have been canceled. Claims 1-3, 6-19 and 22-30 remain pending in the application.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings filed on 04/29/2024 are accepted.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s claim amendments has overcome the claim objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on 01/16/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/16/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant stated in Pages 10 “Lu, Gammel, Flink, Duo, Hamid, Sun, Bellisard, and Quan-alone or in any combination-do not teach or suggest all of the features of amended independent claims 1, 12, 23, and 27. In the rejection of original dependent claims 5, features of which have been incorporated into independent claim 1, the Office Action acknowledges that Lu in view of Gammel does not disclose "wherein generating the security key comprises ... an identifier associated with the ambient power wireless device" and "the identifier comprises a medium access control address," instead relying on Duo. See Office Action, pp. 16 and 17. However, Duo does not teach or suggest the features of amended independent claim 1.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner submits that Gammel discloses the generation of a security key based on an identifier associated with the ambient power wireless device. This is illustrated in Gummel Figure 4 P9, where KIV is based on IV, as disclosed in [0048, 0062, 0069]. From Figure 4 steps P9 and T5, Gummel further illustrates generation of the security session key based on the first random number, the second random number, identifier associated with the ambient power wireless device IV, and KM. Gummel does not disclose the generating the security key based on a an identifier corresponding to the medium access control address. Duo is relied upon to disclose the concept generating a security key for encrypting messages between terminals using medium access control address.
Applicant further stated in Pages 10-11 “The features of Duo, however, do not teach or suggest "generat[ing], at the ambient power wireless device, a security key ... generated using at least ... a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Specifically, Duo describes the Bluetooth communications link (the BLE link 203) at an
access point generating the pairwise temporary key using MAC addresses, but the BLE link 203 of Duo is not an "ambient power wireless device" that generates a security key based on a "medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Instead, Duo describes the BLE link 203 as operating as part of a mesh node during a network registration process (see, e.g., id., col. 7, 11. 66-67 and col. 9, 11. 2-10), and nowhere does Duo describe the BLE link 203 as an "ambient power wireless device." Further, Duo's description of the BLE link 203 generating the pairwise temporary key using MAC addresses of other, different devices is not the same as, and fails to teach or suggest, "generat[ing], at the ambient power wireless device, a security key ... generated using at least ... a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Indeed, in Duo, the device generating the temporary key does not use its own MAC address to generate the temporary key. Rather, Duo's MAC addresses used for the pairwise temporary key are those of the mobile device and the host computer participating in the registration process, neither of which are a MAC address of the BLE link 203 or "a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device," as recited in amended independent claim 1. Put another way, even if Duo's BLE link 203 could be understood to be "the ambient power wireless device" recited in amended independent claim I-which Applicant does not concede-the BLE link 203 does not generate the pairwise temporary key using the MAC address of the BLE link 203, and Duo's BLE link 203 instead uses MAC addresses of other devices.”
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Lu in view of Gammel discloses the claimed invention, including the ambient power wireless device, the query, the response, and the generation of the security key using the various parameters recited in the independent claims. Gammel also discloses further using an apparatus-specific identifier, in conjunction with the other various parameters, to generate the security key. While, for one of ordinary skill in the field, it would have been obvious to use many different parameters to generate security keys, Lu in view of Gammel does not disclose using “a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device”. Examiner asserts that Duo is relied upon to disclose the above argued concept. Examiner further asserts that the emphasis is on the generation of a security key based on using a MAC address associated with a device. The nature of the ambient power wireless device is already disclosed by Lu and Gammel. Duo is relied upon to emphasize the generation of a security key on random numbers and also on a MAC address associated with the device. Examiner also directs the applicant to Figure 2 242 where the mobile device also generates the pairwise temporary key based on the mobile device’s own MAC address.
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 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1-2, 6-8, 10, 12, 16-17, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1) and Duo (US 11997635 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Lu teaches an ambient power wireless device, comprising: a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code (Lu [0078] Figure 12 Tag 120 comprising memory and microcontroller), the processing system configured to cause the ambient power wireless device to:
receive an energizing signal for supplying power to one or more radio frequency components of the ambient power wireless device (Lu [0078] “Typically, an RIFD tag 120 contains an antenna 128 and memory 124. In the invention that is disclosed here, the tag 120 also comprises a microcontroller 122 that performs tasks such as hash function evaluation. In operation, the reader 100 sends out radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic wave (i.e. energizing signal) through its antenna 108. When the tag 120 is in the vicinity of the reader 100, its antenna 124 will pick up the electromagnetic wave and provide electric power to the tag 120. The reader 100 can then send commands for the tag 120 to execute. This may include the authentication procedure that the present invention discloses.”);
receive a query message including a first random number, the query message indicating a request for data from the ambient power wireless device (Lu Reader 100 R sending a message/query/request to Tag 120 T including a first random number [0062] “as illustrated in FIG. 6. In the first phase, the reader R sends a "Request" with a random number r.sub.1 (a nonce) to tag T.sub.i.”);
[[generate, at the ambient power wireless device, a security key in response to receiving the query message, the security key generated using at least the first random number, a second random number different from the first random number, a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device, and a master security key]]; and
transmit, based at least in part on power applied to the one or more radio frequency components, a response message indicating the data and the second random number, [[wherein the data, the response message, or both are secured using the security key]] (Lu [0062] “…In the second phase, upon receiving "Request", tag T.sub.i generates a random number r.sub.2 (a nonce) and calculates a series of hash values …T.sub.i replies to R with a message U=(r.sub.2, h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[0]), h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[1]), . . . , h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[d-1]), h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.l)). For simplicity, we denote the elements in U as u, v.sub.o, v.sub.1, . . . , v.sub.d-1, v.sub.d where u=r.sub.2 and v.sub.j=h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.j), j=0 . . . d-1, v.sub.d=h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.l). In the third phase, R identifies T.sub.i using the key tree S and the received U.”, where the response message from the tag 120, powered by the radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic wave as disclosed in [0078], includes a second random number and cryptographic hash values based on the first random number, the second random number and a key construed as a security key).
Lu does not explicitly disclose the below limitation.
Gammel discloses generate, at the ambient power wireless device, a security key in response to receiving the query message, the security key generated using at least the first random number, a second random number different from the first random number, [a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device,] and a master security key (Gammel [0031] discloses RFID tag P corresponding to the ambient power wireless device, and Reader terminal T, Figure 4 discloses generating session key k0 in response to receiving message P2, where k0 is generated, by the reader and the tag (i.e. ambient power wireless device), using random numbers rp and rt from the tag and the reader and a key kiv construed as master security key as disclosed in [0069]),
wherein the data, the response message, or both are secured using the security key (Gammel [0033] “Figure 1…The cryptographic part of the protocol consists of two parts: authentication 10 and subsequent data transfer 12.”, [0037] “…The protection of the data transfer 12 is bound to the authentication 10 by the session key k.sub.0 determined during previous authentication.”, [0039] “For privacy protection, the session key k.sub.0 is used as a basic key for encrypting data packages transmitted.” Further in [0122])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Gammel discloses the generation of the security key based on the first random number, second random number, IV apparatus identification of the identification associated with the TAG, i.e. ambient power wireless device, however Lu in view of Gammel does not disclose a security key generation using apparatus identification, such as MAC address. Emphasis in italic.
Duo discloses …the security key generated using at least the first random number, a second random number different from the first random number, a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device… (Duo Col. 10 line 20-25 and 32-42 “This temporary key may have been generated using the first nonce, the second nonce, a machine (MAC) address of the mobile device, a MAC address of host 206… BLE link 203 may then generate message 239 that includes a machine integrity code (MIC) and the second nonce. After message 239 is generated, it may be sent to the mobile device. Mobile application 200 may then extract the MIC and the second nonce from message 239 and a processor at the mobile device may generate the pairwise temporary key using information that may include the first nonce, the second nonce, the mobile device MAC, the host MAC, the serial number, the authentication code, or other information in process 242 of FIG. 2.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel to incorporate the teaching of Duo to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of uniquely identifying the party associated with the generated key.
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 recites similar limitations to claim 1, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the ambient power wireless device to: generate the second random number in response to the query message (Lu [0062] (“…In the second phase, upon receiving "Request", tag T.sub.i generates a random number r.sub.2 (a nonce))).
Lu does not explicitly disclose the below limitation.
Gammel discloses wherein the security key is specific to the received query message based at least in part on the second random number generated in response to the query message (Gammel Figure 4 illustrates the session key k0 is generated based and specific to the message P2 since it is based on both rp and rt, i.e. second random number, generated based on the received message P2, [0008] “…This means that a session-specific one-time key (session key) can be derived from an individual "root key" of one of the terminals in order to authenticate and secure subsequent data transfer between two communication partners. Thus, deriving the session key is based on making use of random numbers which in accordance with embodiments may be exchanged between the two communication partners. Providing the random numbers by a third party, a so-called trusted third party, is also conceivable.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Regarding claim 24, claim 24 recites similar limitations to claim 2, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 2.
Regarding claim 25, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the method of claim 23.
Lu does not disclose the below limitation.
Gammel discloses wherein generating the security key comprises: generating the security key based at least in part on the first random number, the second random number, the master security key, and an identifier associated with the ambient power wireless device (Gammel Figure 4 illustrates generating the session key k0 based on rp, rt and Kiv, where Kiv is based on IV, i.e. identifier of the tag, i.e. ambient power wireless device, as disclosed in [0048] “On the part of a reader T, the means for obtaining the secret information k.sub.IV may be configured to obtain the secret information k.sub.IV based on an apparatus-specific identification IV of the chip card P and a general key k.sub.M. Thus, the general key k.sub.M and the apparatus-specific identification IV may be fed to a key-extracting function KD in order to determine k.sub.IV.”, where the apparatus-specific identification IV is included in the initial message P2 in Figure 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Regarding claim 6, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the ambient power wireless device to: determine a set of message integrity check bits based at least in part on the security key, wherein the response message includes the set of message integrity check bits (Lu [0066] Figure 9 76 illustrates the integrity check to determine, in the response message, whether the tag is valid)
Regarding claim 26, claim 26 recites similar limitations to claim 6, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 6.
Regarding claim 7, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 6, wherein the set of message integrity check bits are included in the response message instead of a frame check sequence (Lu [0066] Figure 9 76 illustrates the integrity check, which is included in the response message, to determine, in the response message, whether the tag is valid, where the hash in 76 is part of the response message U).
Regarding claim 8, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1.
Lu does not explicitly disclose the below limitation.
Gammel discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the ambient power wireless device to: encrypt the response message, the data, or both using the security key (Gammel [0039] “…the session key k.sub.0 is used as a basic key for encrypting data packages transmitted.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Regarding claim 10, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1, wherein the energizing signal and the query message are received from a same device (Lu [0078] “Typically, an RIFD tag 120 contains an antenna 128 and memory 124. In the invention that is disclosed here, the tag 120 also comprises a microcontroller 122 that performs tasks such as hash function evaluation. In operation, the reader 100 sends out radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic wave through its antenna 108. When the tag 120 is in the vicinity of the reader 100, its antenna 124 will pick up the electromagnetic wave and provide electric power to the tag 120. The reader 100 can then send commands for the tag 120 to execute. This may include the authentication procedure that the present invention discloses.”, where the reader 100, corresponding to the same device, is sending the RF electromagnetic wave to the tag as well as the request as disclosed in [0062]).
Regarding claim 12, Lu teaches a wireless communication device, comprising: a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code (Lu [0078] Figure 12 Reader 100 comprising memory and microcontroller), the processing system configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
transmit, to an ambient power wireless device, a first query message including an indication of a first random number, the first query message indicating a request for data from the ambient power wireless device (Lu Reader 100 R sensing a message/query/request to Tag 120 T including a first random number [0062] “as illustrated in FIG. 6. In the first phase, the reader R sends a "Request" with a random number r.sub.1 (a nonce) to tag T.sub.i.”); and
receive, from the ambient power wireless device, a first response message indicating at least the data and a second random number different from the first random number (Lu [0062] “…In the second phase, upon receiving "Request", tag T.sub.i generates a random number r.sub.2 (a nonce) and calculates a series of hash values …T.sub.i replies to R with a message U=(r.sub.2, h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[0]), h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[1]), . . . , h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.p[d-1]), h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.l)). For simplicity, we denote the elements in U as u, v.sub.o, v.sub.1, . . . , v.sub.d-1, v.sub.d where u=r.sub.2 and v.sub.j=h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.j), j=0 . . . d-1, v.sub.d=h(r.sub.1, r.sub.2, k.sub.i.sup.l). In the third phase, R identifies T.sub.i using the key tree S and the received U.”, where the response message from the tag 120, powered by the radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic wave as disclosed in [0078], includes a second random number and cryptographic hash values based on the first random number, the second random number and the key parts construed as a security key).
Lu does not explicitly disclose security key.
Gammel discloses wherein the data, the first response message, or both are secured in accordance with a security key that is based at least in part on at least the first random number, the second random number, [a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device], and a master security key (Gammel Figure 4 discloses generating session key k0 in response to receiving message P2, where k0 is generated using random numbers rp and rt from the tag and the reader and a key kiv), [0033] “Figure 1…The cryptographic part of the protocol consists of two parts: authentication 10 and subsequent data transfer 12.”, [0037] “In accordance with embodiments, only one of the protection modes can be used at a certain time for data transfer 12 between the two communication partners P and T. The protection of the data transfer 12 is bound to the authentication 10 by the session key k.sub.0 determined during previous authentication.” Further in [0039] “For privacy protection, the session key k.sub.0 is used as a basic key for encrypting data packages transmitted.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Gammel discloses the generation of the security key based on the first random number, second random number, IV apparatus identification of the identification associated with the TAG, i.e. ambient power wireless device, however Lu in view of Gammel does not disclose a security key generation using apparatus identification, such as MAC address. Emphasis in italic.
Duo discloses …a security key that is based at least in part on at least the first random number, the second random number, a medium access control address associated with the ambient power wireless device (Duo Col. 10 line 20-25 and 32-42 “This temporary key may have been generated using the first nonce, the second nonce, a machine (MAC) address of the mobile device, a MAC address of host 206… BLE link 203 may then generate message 239 that includes a machine integrity code (MIC) and the second nonce. After message 239 is generated, it may be sent to the mobile device. Mobile application 200 may then extract the MIC and the second nonce from message 239 and a processor at the mobile device may generate the pairwise temporary key using information that may include the first nonce, the second nonce, the mobile device MAC, the host MAC, the serial number, the authentication code, or other information in process 242 of FIG. 2.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel to incorporate the teaching of Duo to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of uniquely identifying the party associated with the generated key.
Regarding claim 27, claim 27 recites similar limitations to claim 12, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 12.
Regarding claim 16, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: verify that the first response message is from the ambient power wireless device based at least in part on the master security key (Lu Figure 9 (70-76) illustrate verification that the tag, i.e. ambient power wireless device, is a valid tag, based on k.sub.i.sup.l, and is using valid keys at different node levels).
Regarding claim 30, claim 30 recites similar limitations to claim 16, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 16.
Regarding claim 17, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 16.
Lu does not explicitly disclose the below limitation.
Gammel discloses wherein, to verify that the first response message is from the ambient power wireless device, the processing system is configured to cause the wireless communication device to: decrypt the first response message, the data, or both, based at least in part on the security key; and perform an integrity check for the first response message, the data, or both, based at least in part on a set of message integrity check bits (Gammel illustrates in Figure 4 Cp and Ct in the response messages being verified by comparing with generated C’p and C’t with Cp and Ct, respectively, for the devices to authenticate each other, Gummer further decrypt data exchanged between the tag and the reader as disclosed in e.g. [0046] “In accordance with an embodiment, the means 24 for calculating the session key k.sub.0 includes a hardware module for encryption and/or decryption.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu to incorporate the teaching of Gammel to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring secure mutual authentication and data transfer protection between two communication partners, as recognized by (Gammel Abstract ).
Regarding claim 22, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit an energizing signal for supplying power to one or more radio frequency components of the ambient power wireless device, wherein receiving the first response message is based at least in part on transmitting the energizing signal (Lu [0078] “Typically, an RIFD tag 120 contains an antenna 128 and memory 124. In the invention that is disclosed here, the tag 120 also comprises a microcontroller 122 that performs tasks such as hash function evaluation. In operation, the reader 100 sends out radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic wave (i.e. energizing signal) through its antenna 108. When the tag 120 is in the vicinity of the reader 100, its antenna 124 will pick up the electromagnetic wave and provide electric power to the tag 120. The reader 100 can then send commands for the tag 120 to execute. This may include the authentication procedure that the present invention discloses.”)
Claim 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1), Duo (US 11997635 B2) and Flink (US 20180082050 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 2.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose relating the random number to a time stamp.
Flink discloses wherein the second random number is generated using a time stamp as a seed (Flink [0128] discloses obtaining random number from a time stamp).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Flink to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of making it more difficult for an attacker to break into a system , as recognized by (Flink [0128] ).
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1), Duo (US 11997635 B2) and Hamid (US 20220377510 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitations.
Hamid discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the ambient power wireless device to: transmit the response message (Hamid [0058] “… For instance, the connected function 201 may attempt to transmit the request over the first interface 122, but may determine that the connected function 201 has not received the response to the request within a threshold time period of transmitting the request. Once the connected function 201 determines that the CHF 114 is unreachable”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Hamid to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring the requested device is reachable, as recognized by (Hamid [0058] ).
Regarding claim 19, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 12.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitations.
Hamid discloses wherein the first response message is received within a time interval of transmitting the first query message (Hamid [0058] “… For instance, the connected function 201 may attempt to transmit the request over the first interface 122, but may determine that the connected function 201 has not received the response to the request within a threshold time period of transmitting the request. Once the connected function 201 determines that the CHF 114 is unreachable”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Hamid to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of ensuring the requested device is reachable, as recognized by (Hamid [0058] ).
Claims 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1), Duo (US 11997635 B2) and Sun (US 20250094755 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the ambient power wireless device of claim 1.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitations.
Sun discloses wherein the energizing signal is received from a first device and the query message is received from a second device different from the first device (Sun [0027] “… in some examples, the first circuit 132 may be configured to request supplemental power from the second tag 120 in response to the first RF signal received at block 205. Upon receipt of supplemental power from the second tag 120, the first circuit 132 may be configured to process the data request”, where the request is received from reader 108-1 as disclosed in [0025] “The method 200 is initiated at block 205, where the first antenna 128 receives a first RF signal, for example from the first reader 108-1. In particular, the first RF signal may be within a first frequency band within which the first tag 116 is configured to operate. The first RF signal may be, for example, an interrogation of the first tag 116, and hence may include a data request for information about the first tag 116”and the power is received from the second tag 120 in Figure 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Sun to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of power sharing different tags as needed, as recognized by (Sun Abstract ).
Claims 13-15 and 28-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1), Duo (US 11997635 B2) and Luc (US 20210203483 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 12.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitations.
Luc discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive a second query message from an application server, wherein transmitting the first query message to the ambient power wireless device is triggered by the second query message (Luc Figure 2 illustrates the reader 10 receiving message/request 310 from 11, i.e. application server, where 310 includes a first random number A1 and accordingly the reader 10 transmits to the tag 20, i.e. ambient power wireless device, the message/request 110 including A1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Luc to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of authenticating the tag by the reader and the encryption module 11, as recognized by (Luc [0163] ).
Regarding claim 28, claim 28 recites similar limitations to claim 13, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 13.
Regarding claim 14, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo and Luc teaches the wireless communication device of claim 13.
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitations.
Luc discloses wherein: the second query message includes an indication of the first random number, and transmitting the first query message including the first random number is based on receiving the second query message including the indication of the first random number (Luc Figure 2 illustrates the reader 10 receiving message/request 310 from 11, i.e. application server, where 310 includes a first random number A1 and accordingly the reader 10 transmits to the tag 20, i.e. ambient power wireless device, the message/request 110 including A1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel to incorporate the teaching of Luc to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of authenticating the tag by the reader and the encryption module 11, as recognized by (Luc [0163] ).
Regarding claim 15, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo and Luc teaches the wireless communication device of claim 13.
Lu in view of Gammel does not disclose the below limitations.
Luc discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit a second response message to the application server based at least in part on receiving the first response message, the second response message comprising at least the data and the second random number (Luc illustrates in Figure 2 11 receiving from the reader 10 response messages 410-420, construed as second response, in response to the reader 10 receiving 210-220, where the response comprising second random number A2 and data/results).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Luc to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of authenticating the tag by the reader and the encryption module 11, as recognized by (Luc [0163] ).
Regarding claim 29, claim 29 recites similar limitations to claim 15, therefore rejected with the same rationale and motivation applied to claim 15.
Claims 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lu (US 20100045442 A1) in view of Gammel (US 20100316217 A1), Duo (US 11997635 B2) and Quan (US 20090109929 A1).
Regarding claim 18, Lu in view of Gammel and Duo teaches the wireless communication device of claim 12, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
Lu in view of Gammel and Duo does not disclose the below limitation.
Quan discloses perform a channel access procedure, wherein transmitting the first query message and receiving the first response message is based at least in part on the channel access procedure (Quan discloses utilizing channel access procedure: [0055] “Meanwhile, the reader in the SS signal sensing status (105) switches to the LBT sensing status (106) when the SS signal having the specific RSSI pattern is sensed (13), and competes with other readers by using the LBT technique to occupy a channel. A reader, which has succeeded (8) in the channel competition, switches to the reader-tag communication status (104).” [0056-0059] further discloses the utilizing the LBT for requests/response, where the listen before talking (LBT) is interpreted as channel access procedure consistent with the instant application in publication paragraph [0159]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Lu in view of Gammel and Duo to incorporate the teaching of Quan to utilize the above feature, with the motivation of providing efficient scheduling and utilization of readers in dense reader environments, as recognized by (Quan Abstract, [0003] ).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BASSAM A NOAMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2705. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-5:00PM.
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, Eleni A. Shiferaw can be reached at (571) 272-3867. 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.
/BASSAM A NOAMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2497
Prosecution Insights