DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the Response to Restriction Requirement filed on 01/20/2026.
Claims 8 and 15 have been amended.
Claim 7 has been cancelled.
Claims 1-6 and 8-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s amendment and election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 01/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-6 and 8-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1:
Claims 1-10, 15-29 are directed to a method (i.e., a process) and claims 11-14 are directed to a system (i.e., a machine). Accordingly, claims 1-6 and 8-29 are all within at least one of the four statutory categories.
Step 2A - Prong One:
An “abstract idea” judicial exception is subject matter that falls within at least one of the following groupings: a) mathematical concepts, b) certain methods of organizing human activity, and/or c) mental processes.
Representative independent claim 11 includes limitations that recite an abstract idea. Note that independent claim 1 is the system claim, while claims 1, 21, 24 and 27 cover method claims.
Specifically, independent claim 11 recites:
A system, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
receiving, at a first device and from a second device, an indication of a presence of the second device;
receiving, at the first device and from the second device, a first identifier unique to the second device;
sending, from the first device and to a server, a first request including the first identifier for a patient identifier uniquely identifying a patient and associated with the first identifier;
receiving, at the first device and from the server, the patient identifier;
receiving, at the first device and from a third device, a second request for the patient identifier;
determining, based on the second request, that the third device is within a threshold distance from the first device; and
based on determining that the third device is within the threshold distance, sending the patient identifier from the first device to the third device.
The Examiner submits that the foregoing underlined limitations constitute: (a) “certain methods of organizing human activity” because requesting a patient identifier uniquely identifying a patient and associated with an identifier and based on determining that a device is within a threshold distance, sending the patient identifier are a part of a medical workflow process, which are managing human behavior/interactions between people. Furthermore, these limitations constitute (b) “a mental process” because determining that a device is within a threshold distance from another first device is an observation/evaluation/analysis that can be performed in the human mind or with a pen and paper. The foregoing underlined limitations also relate to claim 11 (similarly to claims 1, 21, 24 and 27).
Accordingly, the claim describes at least one abstract idea.
In relation to claims 9, 16, 18, 22, 26 and 29, these claims merely recite specific kinds data, identifiers, devices and tags, such as: claims 9, 18 & 26 - the patient identifier includes at least one of: a name of the patient; a date of birth of the patient; a gender of the patient; an age of the patient; a medication list of the patient; a room number of a patient; a location of the patient; a health history of the patient; an admit status of the patient; a medical record number; or a visit number, claim 16 - the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a barcode, a two-dimensional matrix barcode, Bluetooth tag, a real time location system (RTLS) tag, or a geolocation tag, and claims 22 & 29 - the at least two devices is: a smart device; a wheelchair; a hospital bed; a vital signs monitor; an infusion pump; a blood pressure monitor; a blood glucose monitor; a pulse oximeter; or an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor.
In relation to claims 2-6, 10, 12-15, 17, 19, 23-25 and 28, these claims merely recite determining steps such as: claims 2 & 12 - scanning, with a scanning component of the first device, an identifier associated with the third device; receiving, at the first device and based on scanning the identifier associated with the third device, a request for the patient identifier from the third device; and sending, from the first device and based on receiving the request for the patient identifier, the patient identifier to the third device, claims 3 & 13 - receiving, from a fourth device, a third request for the patient identifier; based on the third request, determining that the third device is within the threshold distance from the first device; based on the third request, determining that the fourth device is within the threshold distance from the first device; and based on determining that the third device and fourth device are within the threshold distance, sending, from the first device or the third device, the patient identifier to the fourth device, claims 4 & 19 - receiving, at the third device, biological data associated with the patient; sending, from the third device to the server, the biological data; and receiving, at the third device, based on sending the biological data, and from the server, an updated patient identifier comprising the biological data, claims 5 & 14 - determining that the third device is within the threshold distance of the first device comprises: receiving, at the first device and from the third device, a first signal; determining, by the first device and based on the first signal, a distance between the first device and the third device; and determining, by the first device, that the distance between the first device and the third device is less than or equal to the threshold distance; wherein the patient identifier is sent to the third device is based at least in part on determining that the distance between the first device and the third device is less than or equal to the threshold distance, claim 6 - receiving, at the first device and from the server, a notification of an update to the patient identifier; sending, from the first device and to the server, a request for the updated patient identifier; receiving, at the first device, the updated patient identifier; and causing presentation, via a user interface of the first device, of the updated patient identifier, claim 10 - sending, from the first device and to the server, a third request for the patient identifier; receiving, from the server, by the first device, and based on the third request, a disassociation indication; and removing, based on the disassociation indication and from a memory of the first device, the first identifier and the patient identifier, claim 15 - acquiring the first identifier via scanning, with a scanning component of the first device, a tag of the second device, the tag comprising, the first identifier unique to the tag of the second device; acquiring via scanning, with the scanning component of the first device, a second identifier associated with a third device; receiving, at the first device and based on scanning the second identifier associated with the third device, a second request for the patient identifier from the third device; and sending, from the first device and based on receiving the second request for the patient identifier, the patient identifier to the third device, claim 17 - a unique identifier associated with a patient in the server, claim 19 - recording, via the first device, biological data of the patient; sending, from the first device to the server, the biological data; and receiving, at the first device based on sending the biological data and from the server, an updated patient identifier comprising the biological data, claim 20 - receiving, at the first device, a third request for the patient identifier from a fourth device; determining, based on the third request from the fourth device, that the fourth device is within a threshold distance from the first device; and based on determining that the fourth device is within the threshold distance from the first device, sending the patient identifier from the first device to the fourth device, claim 23 - determining that the at least two devices of the multiple devices are within the threshold distance is based at least in part on a radio- identification signal generated by one of the at least two devices, claim 24 - associating a patient identifier of a patient with multiple devices using a server, the method comprising associating a first device with the patient identifier via the server and sending the patient identifier from the first device to a second device based on determining that the second device is within a threshold distance of the first device, claim 25 - determining that the second device is within the threshold distance of the first device is based at least in part on determining, by the first device, that a distance based at least in part on a radio-identification signal from the second device is less than or equal to the threshold distance and claim 28 - receiving, by the first device, from the server, and based on providing the information, a patient identifier unique to the patient; and providing, by the first device, the patient identifier to a second device based on the second device being disposed less than a second threshold distance from the first device.
Step 2A - Prong Two:
Regarding Prong Two of Step 2A, it must be determined whether the claim as a whole integrates the abstract idea into a practical application. As noted, it must be determined whether any additional elements in the claim beyond the abstract idea integrate the exception into a practical application in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception. The courts have indicated that additional elements merely using a computer to implement an abstract idea, adding insignificant extra solution activity, or generally linking use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment or field of use do not integrate a judicial exception into a “practical application.”
The limitations of claims 1, 11, 21, 24 and 27, as drafted is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitations in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting a system, a first device, a second device, a third device, a fourth device, a scanning component, a server, one or more processors, a user interface and one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors to perform the limitations, nothing in the claim elements precludes the steps from practically being performed in the mind. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation within a health care environment in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “certain methods of organizing human activity” and “Mental Process” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claims recite an abstract idea.
The judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the system, first device, second device, third device, fourth device, scanning component, server, one or more processors, a user interface and one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors are recited at high levels of generality (i.e., as generic computer components performing generic computer functions of receiving data/inputs, determining and providing data) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using the generic computer components.
Regarding claim 8, the additional limitation “receiving the first identifier from the second device comprises the first device receiving a signal from the second device” the Examiner submits that this additional limitation merely adds insignificant pre-solution activity (data gathering; selecting data to be manipulated) to the at least one abstract idea (see MPEP § 2106.05(g)).
Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the above identified judicial exception (the abstract idea). Looking at the limitations as an ordered combination add nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. For instance, there is no indication that the additional elements, when considered as a whole, reflect an improvements in the functioning of a computer or an improvement to another technology or technical field, apply or us the above-noted implement/use to above-noted judicial exception with a particular machine or manufacture that is integral to the claim, effect a transformation or reduction of a particular article to a different state or thing, or apply or use the judicial exception in some meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, such that the claim as a whole is not more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception (see MPEP §2106.05). Their collective functions merely provide conventional computer implementation.
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to the integration of the abstract idea into practical application, the additional elements amount to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using generic computer components. Mere instructions to apply an exception using generic computer component provide an inventive concept. The claims are not patent eligible.
Step 2B:
Regarding Step 2B, in representative independent claim 11, regarding the additional limitations of the system, first device, second device, third device, fourth device, scanning component, server, one or more processors, a user interface and one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, the Examiner submits that these limitations amount to merely using a computer to perform the at least one abstract idea (see MPEP § 2106.05(f)).
Thus, representative independent claim 11 and analogous independent claims 1, 21, 24 and 27 do not include additional elements (considered both individually and as an ordered combination) that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the same reasons to those discussed above with respect to determining that the claim does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application.
The dependent claims no not include additional elements (considered both individually and as an ordered combination) that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the same reason discussed above with respect to determining that the dependent claims do not integrate the at least abstract idea into a practical application.
Therefore, claims 1-6 and 8-29 are ineligible under 35 USC §101.
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 1-6 and 8-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Volpe (US 2025/0032046 A1).
Claim 1:
Volpe discloses A method, comprising:
receiving, at a first device and from a second device, an indication of a presence of the second device (See Fig. 4, Fig. 5, P0065-P0070 where proximity monitoring and detection are used.);
receiving, at the first device and from the second device, a first identifier unique to the second device (See P0050, P0053, P0074 exemplary identifiers unique to a device such as RFID tags, beacon technologies and BLUETOOTH transmitters.);
sending, from the first device and to a server, a first request, including the first identifier, for a patient identifier uniquely identifying a patient associated with the first identifier (See data structure and store as server in [P0069-P0070] the data structure includes a plurality of such records, each record being associated with a distinct reference location. In the data structure, the unique identifier for the reference location may be associated with a user-configurable name for the reference location (e.g., a street address, name of the location, etc.) and GPS coordinates for the location. Besides detecting signals (P0053, P0074, P0117) as a request, see notification requests to complete tasks (P0014, P0056) and requesting location of an ambulatory patient (P0017, P0093).);
receiving, at the first device and from the server, the patient identifier (See Fig. 12, accessing remote server 1212 in P0111 include monitoring the status and activities of the patient. Also, see [P0063] The updated configuration file may include configuration information such as, a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name, initial device settings and configurations, and monitoring and/or treatment threshold values.);
receiving, at the first device and from a third device, a second request for the patient identifier (See Fig. 12 medical devices 100 and base station 300 in P0110-P0113 as third devices where notification requests to complete tasks (P0014, P0056) and requesting location of an ambulatory patient (P0017, P0093) can be done.);
determining that the third device is within a threshold distance from the first device (See Fig. 5-6, P0067, P0075, P0082 where predefined range of a reference locations of a controller or medical device serve as a threshold distance from the first device.); and
based on the second request, and on determining that the third device is within the threshold distance, sending the patient identifier from the first device to the third device (See Fig. 5, Fig. 11, P0082, P0105-P0109 resolving tasks of the act 510 as conflicts in favor of the reference location associated with the highest priority. Also, see Fig. 4, [P0115-P0116] As the patient nears her caregiver's office, the proximity monitoring component tracks the geographic location of the controller (e.g., via GPS), calculates a distance between the medical device and the geographic location 1222, and, where the distance is less than a threshold value, determines that the medical device has entered the predefined range 1210. In response to making this determination, the proximity monitoring component 414 notifies the location adaptation component 410.).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11 mentioned above, wherein sending the patient identifier to the third device further comprises: scanning, with a scanning component of the first device, an identifier associated with the third device (See Fig. 7 Scan for Range Identifier 702 and Range Identifier Detected 704 mentioned in P0079-P0081.);receiving, at the first device and based on scanning the identifier associated with the third device, a request for the patient identifier from the third device; and sending, from the first device and based on receiving the request for the patient identifier, the patient identifier to the third device (See Fig. 7 and determining location of the patient based on scanning [P0079-P0081] enable a medical device to determine whether the medical device is within a predefined range (e.g., 100 feet) of a reference location, thereby enabling the medical device to execute (or not execute) subsequent processes that are relevant to the reference location and predefined range.).).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1 and the system of claim 11 mentioned above, further comprising: receiving, from a fourth device, a third request for the patient identifier; based on the third request, determining that the third device is within the threshold distance from the first device; based on the third request, determining that the fourth device is within the threshold distance from the first device; and based on determining that the third device and fourth device are within the threshold distance, sending, from the first device or the third device, the patient identifier to the fourth device (Taught as determining whether two or more location are within proximity so solve conflict resolution in P0108-P019 and P0117 where BLE beacons closes to the bases station determining that the third device and fourth device are within the threshold distance, sending, from the first device or the third device, the patient identifier to the fourth device.).
Regarding claim 4, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the third device, biological data associated with the patient; sending, from the third device to the server, the biological data; and receiving, at the third device, based on sending the biological data, and from the server, an updated patient identifier comprising the biological data (See monitoring patient parameters as sending updated identifiers in [P0037-P0038] the medical device can be configured to monitor data digitized from one or more physiological signals acquired from a patient (e.g., electrocardiograph (ECG) data), heart beats, respiration, breath sounds, tissue fluids, lung fluids, lung sounds, chest movements, and/or cardiopulmonary anomalies, detect anomalies present in the digitized data, and determine whether the detected anomalies impair cardiac or pulmonary function. In various implementations, the medical device can be configured to monitor other patient parameters including but not limited to blood pressure, glucose levels, weight, blood oxygen, etc.).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1 and system of claim 11, wherein determining that the third device is within the threshold distance of the first device comprises: receiving, at the first device and from the third device, a first signal (See signal strength in P0011 and physiological signal acquired from medical devices.); determining, by the first device and based on the first signal, a distance between the first device and the third device; and determining, by the first device, that the distance between the first device and the third device is less than or equal to the threshold distance; wherein the patient identifier is sent to the third device is based at least in part on determining that the distance between the first device and the third device is less than or equal to the threshold distance (See P0115-P0116 threshold value of distance between medical device and component in geographic location.).
Regarding claim 6, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at the first device and from the server, a notification of an update to the patient identifier; sending, from the first device and to the server, a request for the updated patient identifier; receiving, at the first device, the updated patient identifier (See monitoring patient parameters as sending updated identifiers in [P0037-P0038] the medical device can be configured to monitor data digitized from one or more physiological signals acquired from a patient (e.g., electrocardiograph (ECG) data), heart beats, respiration, breath sounds, tissue fluids, lung fluids, lung sounds, chest movements, and/or cardiopulmonary anomalies, detect anomalies present in the digitized data, and determine whether the detected anomalies impair cardiac or pulmonary function. In various implementations, the medical device can be configured to monitor other patient parameters including but not limited to blood pressure, glucose levels, weight, blood oxygen, etc.); and causing presentation, via a user interface of the first device, of the updated patient identifier (See P0040-P0041 monitor patient activity and display interaction with medical device.).
Regarding claim 8, Volpe discloses the method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first identifier from the second device comprises the first device receiving a signal from the second device (See P0011-P0012, P0037 signal strength, location-specific processing includes calculating at least one metric based on physiological signals.).
Regarding claims 9, 18 and 26, Volpe discloses the method of claims 1, 15 and 24, wherein the patient identifier includes at least one of: a name of the patient; a date of birth of the patient; a gender of the patient; an age of the patient; a medication list of the patient; a room number of a patient; a location of the patient; a health history of the patient; an admit status of the patient; a medical record number; or a visit number (See GPS coordinates for the location in P0068-P0069 patient’s movement and location history over time, accessing patient information in P0103 and a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name in P0063 .).
Regarding claim 10, Volpe discloses the method of claims 1 and 15, further comprising: sending, from the first device and to the server, a third request for the patient identifier; receiving, from the server, by the first device, and based on the third request, a disassociation indication; and removing, based on the disassociation indication and from a memory of the first device, the first identifier and the patient identifier (See [P0034] removing some elements of the user interface, changing existing elements, and exposing new elements to, for example, the patient or professional medical personnel when the medical device is in a location associated with the personnel. Also, see P0050 a lightweight web server and data encryption services.).
Claim 11:
Volpe discloses A system, comprising:
one or more processors (See processor 418 in Fig. 4, P0049, P0112.); and
one or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations (See executing automatic tasks (P0033-P0034), executing software instruction in P0049/.) comprising:
receiving, at a first device and from a second device, an indication of a presence of the second device (See Fig. 4, Fig. 5, P0065-P0070 where proximity monitoring and detection are used.);
receiving, at the first device and from the second device, a first identifier unique to the second device (See P0050, P0053, P0074 exemplary identifiers unique to a device such as RFID tags, beacon technologies and BLUETOOTH transmitters.);
sending, from the first device and to a server, a first request including the first identifier for a patient identifier uniquely identifying a patient and associated with the first identifier (See data structure and store as server in [P0069-P0070] the data structure includes a plurality of such records, each record being associated with a distinct reference location. In the data structure, the unique identifier for the reference location may be associated with a user-configurable name for the reference location (e.g., a street address, name of the location, etc.) and GPS coordinates for the location. Besides detecting signals (P0053, P0074, P0117) as a request, see notification requests to complete tasks (P0014, P0056) and requesting location of an ambulatory patient (P0017, P0093).);
receiving, at the first device and from the server, the patient identifier (See Fig. 12, accessing remote server 1212 in P0111 include monitoring the status and activities of the patient. Also, see [P0063] The updated configuration file may include configuration information such as, a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name, initial device settings and configurations, and monitoring and/or treatment threshold values.);
receiving, at the first device and from a third device, a second request for the patient identifier (See Fig. 12 medical devices 100 and base station 300 in P0110-P0113 as third devices where notification requests to complete tasks (P0014, P0056) and requesting location of an ambulatory patient (P0017, P0093) can be done.);
determining, based on the second request, that the third device is within a threshold distance from the first device (See Fig. 5-6, P0067, P0075, P0082 where predefined range of a reference locations of a controller or medical device serve as a threshold distance from the first device.); and
based on determining that the third device is within the threshold distance, sending the patient identifier from the first device to the third device (See Fig. 5, Fig. 11, P0082, P0105-P0109 resolving tasks of the act 510 as conflicts in favor of the reference location associated with the highest priority. Also, see Fig. 4, [P0115-P0116] As the patient nears her caregiver's office, the proximity monitoring component tracks the geographic location of the controller (e.g., via GPS), calculates a distance between the medical device and the geographic location 1222, and, where the distance is less than a threshold value, determines that the medical device has entered the predefined range 1210. In response to making this determination, the proximity monitoring component 414 notifies the location adaptation component 410.).
Regarding claim 15, Volpe discloses The method of claim 1, further comprising:
acquiring the first identifier via scanning, with a scanning component of the first device, a tag of the second device, the tag comprising, the first identifier unique to the tag of the second device (See P0072-P0074 an identifier of a proximity detection process. Also, see [P0063] The updated configuration file may include configuration information such as, a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name, initial device settings and configurations, and monitoring and/or treatment threshold values.);
acquiring via scanning, with the scanning component of the first device, a second identifier associated with a third device; receiving, at the first device and based on scanning the second identifier associated with the third device, a second request for the patient identifier from the third device; and sending, from the first device and based on receiving the second request for the patient identifier, the patient identifier to the third device (See Fig. 7, RFID tags in P0079-P0081 after range identifier 702 is scanned, range of reference location is recorded.).
Regarding 16, Volpe discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the tag is a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, a barcode, a two-dimensional matrix barcode, Bluetooth tag, a real time location system (RTLS) tag, or a geolocation tag (See P0052-P0053 BLUETOOTH network services, BLE beacon technologies and radio frequency identification (RFID) devices and tags.).
Regarding 17, Volpe discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the tag comprises a unique identifier associated with a patient in the server (See [P0061-P0063] server include updated information such as, a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name, initial device settings and configurations, and monitoring and/or treatment threshold values. .
Regarding claim 19, Volpe discloses the method of claim 15, further comprising: recording, via the first device, biological data of the patient; sending, from the first device to the server, the biological data; and receiving, at the first device based on sending the biological data and from the server, an updated patient identifier comprising the biological data (See monitoring patient parameters as sending updated identifiers in [P0037-P0038] the medical device can be configured to monitor data digitized from one or more physiological signals acquired from a patient (e.g., electrocardiograph (ECG) data), heart beats, respiration, breath sounds, tissue fluids, lung fluids, lung sounds, chest movements, and/or cardiopulmonary anomalies, detect anomalies present in the digitized data, and determine whether the detected anomalies impair cardiac or pulmonary function. In various implementations, the medical device can be configured to monitor other patient parameters including but not limited to blood pressure, glucose levels, weight, blood oxygen, etc.).
Regarding claim 20, Volpe discloses the method of claim 15 mentioned above, receiving, at the first device, a third request for the patient identifier from a fourth device; determining, based on the third request from the fourth device, that the fourth device is within a threshold distance from the first device; and based on determining that the fourth device is within the threshold distance from the first device, sending the patient identifier from the first device to the fourth device (Taught as determining whether two or more location are within proximity so solve conflict resolution in P0108-P019 and P0117 where BLE beacons closes to the bases station determining that the third device and fourth device are within the threshold distance, sending, from the first device or the third device, the patient identifier to the fourth device.).
Claim 21:
Volpe discloses A method of associating and disassociating a patient identifier with multiple devices using a server, the method comprising determining that at least two devices of the multiple devices are within a threshold distance of one another; and sending the patient identifier to at least one of the multiple devices via the server (See Fig. 12, medical devices 100, base station 300 and the remote server 1212 in P0113-P0116 where proximity location of the patient’s medical device, daily routine communications and notifying the patient to take her medicine serve as sending patient identifiers.).
Regarding claims 22 and 29, Volpe discloses the method of claims 21 and 28, wherein at least one of the at least two devices is: a smart device; a wheelchair; a hospital bed; a vital signs monitor; an infusion pump; a blood pressure monitor; a blood glucose monitor; a pulse oximeter; or an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor (See smartphone, base station (P0033-P0034), defibrillation electrode 420, pacing electrode 422, TENS electrode 424 (P0045), pulse (P0061) and [P0037] the medical device can be configured to monitor data digitized from one or more physiological signals acquired from a patient (e.g., electrocardiograph (ECG) data), heart beats, blood pressure, glucose levels, and blood oxygen.).
Regarding claim 23, Volpe discloses the method of claim 21, wherein determining that the at least two devices of the multiple devices are within the threshold distance is based at least in part on a radio- identification signal generated by one of the at least two devices (See P0052-P0053 BLUETOOTH network services, BLE beacon technologies, radio frequency identification (RFID) devices, indoor beacons, triangulation techniques and GPS devices.).
Claim 24:
Volpe discloses A method of associating a patient identifier of a patient with multiple devices using a server, the method comprising associating a first device with the patient identifier via the server and sending the patient identifier from the first device to a second device based on determining that the second device is within a threshold distance of the first device (See remote server 1212 in Fig. 12, P0110-P0111 where patients 102 and their medical devices 100 are within pre-defined ranges 1202, 1204, 1206, 1208 and 1210 serve as determining that the second device is within a threshold distance of the first device.).
Regarding claim 25, Volpe discloses the method of claim 24, wherein determining that the second device is within the threshold distance of the first device is based at least in part on determining, by the first device, that a distance based at least in part on a radio-identification signal from the second device is less than or equal to the threshold distance (See proximity location and notifications of medical device based on signal strength in P0117.).
Claim 27:
Volpe discloses A method comprising: receiving, by a first device, from a component worn by a patient, and based on the component being disposed less than a first threshold distance from the first device, information unique to the component; providing, by the first device, the information to a server separate from the first device (See Fig. 1, P0040 wearable medical device with sensing and therapy electrodes and [P0045] FIG. 4 shows a schematic of an example of the controller 120 of FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B and 3. The controller 120 includes at least one processor 418, location adaptation component 410, a proximity monitoring component 414, a location-specific processing component 416, a sensor interface 412, an optional therapy delivery interface 402, data storage 404 (which may include location data store 430), an optional network interface 406, a user interface 408.).
Regarding claim 28, Volpe discloses the method of claim 27 further comprising: receiving, by the first device, from the server, and based on providing the information, a patient identifier unique to the patient; and providing, by the first device, the patient identifier to a second device based on the second device being disposed less than a second threshold distance from the first device (See Fig. 12, accessing remote server 1212 in P0111 include monitoring the status and activities of the patient. Also, see [P0063] The updated configuration file may include configuration information such as, a unique device record identifier, a patient identifier, configuration file path name, initial device settings and configurations, and monitoring and/or treatment threshold values. Also, see Fig. 12 medical devices 100 and base station 300 in P0110-P0113 as third devices where notification requests to complete tasks (P0014, P0056) and requesting location of an ambulatory patient (P0017, P0093) can be done.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. (See Vaglio (US 2014/0278523 A1) & Hirst (WO 2016/099551 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TERESA S WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)270-5509. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8:30 am -6:30 pm.
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/T.S.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3687 05/12/2026
/ALAAELDIN M. ELSHAER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3687
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