DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 1-4 and 7-23 have been examined and are pending.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
2. A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 2/04/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
3. In response to the amendments received in the Office on 2/04/2026, the Office acknowledges the current status of the claims: claims 1, 14, 22, and 23 have been amended, claims 5 and 6 have been canceled, and no new matter appears to be included.
Response to Arguments
4. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 22 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
6. Claims 1-3, 7, 8, 15-20, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication 2016/0135026 A1 to Liang et al. (hereinafter “Liang”) in view of United States Patent Application Publication 2020/0137745 A1 to Bachu et al. (hereinafter “Bachu”).
Regarding Claim 1, Liang discloses a device (Liang: [0034]) comprising:
a physical (PHY) layer circuit (Liang: [0033], [0055-0056], [0061-0063] – intrinsic to physical interfaces and links connecting multiple devices.); and
a processor (Liang: Figure 2 with [0030-0031]) configurable to:
send, via the PHY layer circuit, a coordination request regarding an incoming transmission event, after sending the coordination request, receive, via the PHY layer circuit, confirmation that the coordination request was received (Liang: [0016] – after reception of an advertising signal, which includes capabilities of a device, a logical link is established between cooperative devices that includes parameters of the interface between the devices, such that APIs may then be able to transfer data over said logical link (future/later incoming transmission event). See also as an example embodiment, [0056-0067], wherein Liang describes a handshake operation between two devices in which “…node x sends a message to node y declaring its intent to establish a virtual link with node y. Contemporaneously therewith, at block 504, node x also sends to node y a list of radio interfaces that node x would like to use for the virtual link. In some implementations, blocks 502 and 504 may be accomplished via a single message from node x to node y”, which necessarily includes a request for a future data transfer (a first message to establish communication), and a second request for communication capabilities/preferences (a second message, or one singular message, identifying particular radio preferences). Either the acknowledgement by the node y or transmission of available radios corresponds to a preparation for the data transfer described later in [0063].),
after receiving confirmation that the coordination request was received, receive, from a host of the device, an incoming transmission awareness request regarding the incoming transmission event (Liang: [0016] – APIs control the transfer of data after the advertising of capabilities and parameters for the interface are established. See also [0058-0060] – in one handshake scenario, radio interfaces are established for transmission and reception.), and
receive, via the PHY layer circuit, data associated with the incoming transmission event using a communication parameter based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Liang: [0059-0063] – after a virtual link is established, nodes x and y are operable to transfer data in an active state, and this link is maintained based on a quality metric.).
Although Liang discloses the communication parameter comprises channel information (Liang: [0063] – corresponds to a channel quality) and physical layer (PHY) parameters (Liang: [0063] – suggested by monitoring the physical link), Liang does not expressly disclose wherein the communication parameter comprises radio frequency (RF) layer parameters associated with the PHY layer circuit.
However, this feature cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Bachu. Bachu is similarly concerned with wireless communication between multi-layered devices, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communications (Bachu: [0024-0040]). Bachu further discloses wherein the communication parameter comprises PHY layer parameters and radio frequency (RF) layer parameters associated with the PHY layer circuit (Bachu: [0034], [0050-0052] – corresponds to one or more PHY layer parameters and one or more RF layer parameters for communication across an application protocol interface, or API.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify PHY circuit of Liang in view of the PHY circuit of Bachu to include PHY and RF layer parameters for the reasons of identifying particular capabilities for communication between a base station and a user terminal to differentiate configuration messages and dynamic messages (Bachu: [0050]).
Regarding Claim 2, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses [further comprising]:
a controller than comprises the PHY layer circuit (Liang: [0033], [0055-0056], [0061-0063] – intrinsic to physical interfaces and links connecting multiple devices.); and
a host (Liang: [0003], [0014-0015], [0032] – an application platform hosts one or more PSI interfaces.).
Regarding Claim 3, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 2, wherein Liang further discloses the controller comprises the processor (Liang: Figure 2 with [0030-0031]).
Regarding Claim 7, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the processor is configurable to obtain the incoming transmission awareness request using an application programming interface (API) after preferences and reception capabilities for the incoming transmission event are advertised (Liang: [0016] – known in the art as receiving presence, capabilities, and services for a device, then transferring over a logical link over an API.).
Regarding Claim 8, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the processor is configurable to obtain the incoming transmission awareness request after a first incoming transmission event provides coordination data for the incoming transmission event (Liang: [0016] – APIs control the transfer of data after the advertising of capabilities and parameters for the interface are established. See also [0058-0060] – in one handshake scenario, radio interfaces are established for transmission and reception.).
Regarding Claim 15, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses receiving the data associated with the incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data from a wireless device (Liang: Figure 1 with [0022], [0063] – after establishing a virtual link, data is exchanged wirelessly between nodes.).
Regarding Claim 16, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the processor is configurable to provide a notification responsive to the incoming transmission event starting (Liang: [0052-0055] – corresponds to as an initial beaconing interval (start and end time) passed as an application hint, which corresponds to a notification.).
Regarding Claim 17, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the processor is configurable to provide a notification responsive to the incoming transmission event ending (Liang: [0052-0055] – corresponds to as an initial beaconing interval (start and end time) passed as an application hint, which corresponds to a notification.).
Regarding Claim 18, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the processor is configurable to provide a notification responsive to a failure associated with the incoming transmission event (Liang: [0063-0066] – corresponds to re-establishing (a new connection) after a failure event, which necessarily requires a notification for re-establishing another connection.).
Regarding Claim 19, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the data is received in accordance with a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol (Liang: [0019]).
Regarding Claim 20, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, wherein Liang further discloses the device is part of a vehicle (alternative language), sensor (alternative language), smartphone (Liang: [0024]), infotainment unit (alternative language), key fob (alternative language), or wearable device (alternative language), body control module (BCM) (alternative language).
Regarding Claim 22, Liang discloses a method comprising:
transmitting, by a first device to a second device, a coordination request regarding an incoming transmission event (Liang: [0016] – after reception of an advertising signal, which includes capabilities of a device, a logical link is established between cooperative devices that includes parameters of the interface between the devices, such that APIs may then be able to transfer data over said logical link (future/later incoming transmission event).);
after transmitting the coordination request, receiving, by the first device from the second device, confirmation that the coordination request was received (Liang: [0056-0067] - a handshake operation between two devices in which “…node x sends a message to node y declaring its intent to establish a virtual link with node y. Contemporaneously therewith, at block 504, node x also sends to node y a list of radio interfaces that node x would like to use for the virtual link. In some implementations, blocks 502 and 504 may be accomplished via a single message from node x to node y”, which necessarily includes a request for a future data transfer (a first message to establish communication), and a second request for communication capabilities/preferences (a second message, or one singular message, identifying particular radio preferences). Either the acknowledgement by the node y or transmission of available radios corresponds to a preparation for the data transfer described later in [0063].);
after receiving confirmation that the coordination request was received, receiving, by the first device from a host of the first device, an incoming transmission awareness request regarding the incoming transmission event (Liang: [0016] – APIs control the transfer of data after the advertising of capabilities and parameters for the interface are established. See also [0058-0060] – in one handshake scenario, radio interfaces are established for transmission and reception.); and
receiving, by the first device from the second device, data associated with the incoming transmission event using a communication parameter based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Liang: [0059-0063] – after a virtual link is established, nodes x and y are operable to transfer data in an active state, and this link is maintained based on a quality metric.).
Although Liang discloses the communication parameter comprises channel information (Liang: [0063] – corresponds to a channel quality) and physical layer (PHY) parameters (Liang: [0063] – suggested by monitoring the physical link), Liang does not expressly disclose wherein the communication parameter comprises radio frequency (RF) layer parameters associated with the PHY layer circuit.
However, this feature cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Bachu. Bachu is similarly concerned with wireless communication between multi-layered devices, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth communications (Bachu: [0024-0040]). Bachu further discloses wherein the communication parameter comprises PHY layer parameters and radio frequency (RF) layer parameters associated with the PHY layer circuit (Bachu: [0034], [0050-0052] – corresponds to one or more PHY layer parameters and one or more RF layer parameters for communication across an application protocol interface, or API.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify PHY circuit of Liang in view of the PHY circuit of Bachu to include PHY and RF layer parameters for the reasons of identifying particular capabilities for communication between a base station and a user terminal to differentiate configuration messages and dynamic messages (Bachu: [0050]).
7. Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang and Bachu, and further in view of United States Patent Application Publication 2016/0249356 A1 to Pope (hereinafter “Pope”).
Regarding Claim 4, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 3, but does not expressly disclose wherein the processor is configured to obtain the incoming transmission awareness request from the host via a host-controller interface (HCl).
In a similar field of endeavor related to Bluetooth communications, Pope discloses obtain the incoming transmission awareness request from the host via a host-controller interface (HCl) (Pope: [0005] describes what is well-known in the art the controller stack of a Bluetooth protocol stack includes a standardized host controller interface (HCI) in a Logical Link Control and Adaption Protocol (L2CAP) communication.). Pope further discloses, using L2CAP communications (including standardized HCI), a request for an incoming audio transmission (Pope: [0027-0031]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Pope to include an HCI for obtaining a request for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of allowing battery saving (Pope: [0005]).
8. Claim 9 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang and Bachu, and further in view of United States Patent Application Publication 2017/0318612 A1 to Gu et al. (hereinafter “Gu”).
Regarding Claim 9, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the incoming transmission awareness request is based on configuration preferences provided by an application.
However, this feature cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Gu. Gu is similarly concerned with Bluetooth communications (Gu: [0014]). Gu discloses an incoming transmission awareness request is based on configuration preferences provided by an application (Gu: [0019], [0026-0029] and [0051-0055] – a stored user profile includes user preferences for communication, including parameters and preferences that may be enabled through APIs.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Gu to include user preferences for the setup and control of subscriber devices when a cellular network is unavailable (Gu: [0002]).
Regarding Claim 21, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the device is part of a radar, light, or optical sensor.
However, Gu discloses the device is part of a radar, light, or optical sensor (Gu: [0055] – for an approaching user or another vehicle, Examiner notes one or more of the sensors requires one or more radar, light, or optical capabilities.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Gu to include sensors for the setup and control of subscriber devices when a cellular network is unavailable (Gu: [0002]).
9. Claims 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang and Bachu, and further in view of United States Patent Application Publication 2011/0021142 A1 to Desai et al. (hereinafter “Desai”).
Regarding Claim 10, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the communication parameter comprises a communication channel, wherein the processor is configured to select the communication channel based on the incoming transmission awareness request, and wherein receiving the data associated with the later incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data using the selected communication channel.
However, these features cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Desai. Desai is similarly concerned with Bluetooth communications (Desai: [0003]). Desai discloses a communication parameter comprises a communication channel (Desai: [0092] – corresponds to information included with a connection update request from slave to master in an expected/upcoming BLE communication session. [0032] – communication channel parameter includes a connection identifying a data channel (index) for setting up the link layer connection.), wherein the processor is configurable to select the communication channel based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Desai: [0035] – the connection event includes the slave device selecting a channel with a channel index, after receiving a request.), and wherein receiving the data associated with the incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data using the selected communication channel (Desai: [0035] – the slave device is enabled to move to a selected data channel (based on at least a parameter and an index) in order to communicate data packets.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device via an incoming transmission awareness request of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Desai to include selecting a channel for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of determining a data channel to set up a fast link layer connection (Desai: [0022]).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the communication parameter comprises a communication channel, wherein the processor is configured to avoid the communication channel based on the incoming transmission awareness request, and wherein receiving the data associated with the later incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data using another communication channel.
However, these features cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Desai. Desai is similarly concerned with Bluetooth communications (Desai: [0003]). Desai discloses a communication parameter comprises a communication channel (Desai: [0092] – corresponds to information included with a connection update request from slave to master in an expected/upcoming BLE communication session. [0032] – communication channel parameter includes a connection identifying a data channel (index) for setting up the link layer connection.), wherein the processor is configurable to avoid the communication channel based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Desai: [0035] – the connection event includes the slave device selecting a channel (thereby avoiding other channels) with a channel index, after receiving a request.), and wherein receiving the data associated with the incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data using another communication channel (Desai: [0035] – the slave device is enabled to move to a selected data channel (based on at least a parameter and an index, and avoiding other channels or selecting another channel) in order to communicate data packets.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device via an incoming transmission awareness request of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Desai to include selecting a channel for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of determining a data channel to set up a fast link layer connection (Desai: [0022]).
Regarding Claim 12, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the communication parameter comprises a start reception time, wherein the processor is configured to select the start reception time based on the incoming transmission awareness request, and wherein receiving the data associated with the later incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data at the start reception time.
However, these features cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Desai. Desai is similarly concerned with Bluetooth communications (Desai: [0003]). Desai discloses a communication parameter comprises a start reception time (Desai: [0089] – other parameter information includes a connection event interval, which necessarily includes a start and end time. Also see [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – slave may adjust BLE timing in the update request.), wherein the processor is configurable to select the start reception time based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Desai: [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – slave may adjust BLE timing in the update request, wherein synchronization suggests an new anchor start time.), and wherein receiving the data associated with the incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data at the start reception time (Desai: [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – synchronization and timing with other BLE devices that are concurrent with active connections suggests multiple start/end time intervals, in further consideration of idle periods.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device via an incoming transmission awareness request of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Desai to include synchronization for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of determining a data channel to set up a fast link layer connection (Desai: [0022]).
Regarding Claim 13, the combination of Liang, Bachu, and Desai discloses the device of claim 12, wherein Desai further discloses the start reception time is a time in which a connection event is not commencing in a communication channel used for receiving the data (Desai: [0035-0037], [0051] – interpreted to correspond to an advertising event (a start time for a connection) in which an anchor point (a parameter for a communication channel) is determined, but other anchor points are not chosen (not commencing).).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device via an incoming transmission awareness request of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Desai to include synchronization for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of determining a data channel to set up a fast link layer connection (Desai: [0022]).
Regarding Claim 14, the combination of Liang and Bachu discloses the device of claim 1, but does not expressly disclose wherein the communication parameter further comprises a reception interval, wherein the processor is configured to select the reception interval based on the incoming transmission awareness request, and wherein receiving the data associated with the later incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data at the reception interval.
However, these features cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Desai. Desai is similarly concerned with Bluetooth communications (Desai: [0003]). Desai discloses a communication parameter comprises a reception interval (Desai: [0089] – other parameter information includes a connection event interval, which necessarily includes a start and end time. Also see [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – slave may adjust BLE timing in the update request.), wherein the processor is configurable to select the reception interval based on the incoming transmission awareness request (Desai: [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – slave may adjust BLE timing in the update request, wherein synchronization suggests an new anchor start time.), and wherein receiving the data associated with the incoming transmission event comprises receiving the data at the reception interval (Desai: [0036-0037], [0039], [0057] – synchronization and timing with other BLE devices that are concurrent with active connections suggests multiple start/end time intervals, in further consideration of idle periods.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the BLE controller having established the presence of a device via an incoming transmission awareness request of Liang in view of BLE-enabled device of Desai to include synchronization for a later incoming transmission event for the reasons of determining a data channel to set up a fast link layer connection (Desai: [0022]).
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claim 23 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.
Conclusion
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12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV whose telephone number is (571)270-7163. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, R, F 5:00 AM-5:00 PM, W 5:00 AM-3:00 PM (EDT).
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BENJAMIN H. ELLIOTT IV
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 March 4, 2026