DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the application filed on 28 February 2024.
Claims 1-19 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18 recite the elements of ”…via the second communication device and…" in claims 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in claims 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 18.
Claim 10 recites the amended element of “…, via a second [[the second]] communication apparatus and …”. There is unclear whether said amended element “…, via a second [[the second]] communication apparatus and …” is referred to the claimed element of “a general-purpose second communication device” in claim 10 and as element 52 in base terminal 20, in the repeater 30, in the remote terminal 50 and in the host 10 described in instant figure 1, instant [46]-[48] ???
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over POLO et al. US 2016/0088424 A1.
As to claim 1, POLO discloses, substantially the invention as claimed, including data collection apparatus (Figures 1, 24, one of the BLE devices 102A-102G as a controlling device or 2400) comprising:
a first communication device (one of the network interfaces 2416 has function of communicating to) capable of communicating directly, or via at least one repeater (one of the BLE 102 can be a routing device or a forwarding device), with a plurality of terminals (the BLE 102s) that each acquire data from a sensor (a sensor device) (the controlling device 102A can communicate directly with the BLE 102C or the BLE 102B or via the BLE 102D as a routing or forwarding device, with the BLE 102G, [27]);
a memory (Figure 24, memory 2404, 2402, [178]-[181]) for storing common first identification information (a group ID, [32] or a network-wide key, [36]) for grouping at least a part of a set of the plurality of terminals and at least one repeater, and second identification information (an assigned node ID, or individual node ID [32]) for individually identifying each out of the grouped plurality of terminals and the grouped at least one repeater (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [29], [32]-[36]); and
a first communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to control communication with the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater via the first communication device (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [32]-[36]),
wherein the first communication control device includes:
a first communication mode (a group broadcasting) for communicating with the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater using the first identification information (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [29], [32]-[36]);
a second communication mode (an unicasting or a burst mode) for individually communicating with the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater using the second identification information (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [29], [32]-[36], [40]);
a first call controller (a controlling/requesting device may use the packet 1200 as a query to determine reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to call (to broadcast), using the first communication mode, the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater regardless of whether there has been a response, and acquire the second identification information and a reception level (in light of instant [57], received signal strength indicator (RSSI), [46], [47]) of each of the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater that have responded (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [32]-[36], [46]-[47]);
a second call controller (a controlling/requesting device may use the packet 1200 as a query to determine reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to call (to Point-to-Point communicate or unicast), using the second communication mode, via the at least one repeater from which the second identification information has been obtained, at least the plurality of terminals regardless of whether there has been a response using the first identification information, and acquire the second identification information and a reception level (in light of instant [57], received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values, [46], [47], [125]-[126]) of each of the plurality of terminals that have responded (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [32]-[36]; [46]-[47]); and
a sampling controller (Figures 1-3, 24, a processor(s) 2412) that is configured to communicate, using the second communication mode, on a route (a range extension for any two participants BLE devices that would otherwise be out of BLE transmission range from each other, [25]) of that is set based on the reception levels (in light of instant [57], received signal strength indicator (RSSI) values, [46], [47]) acquired by the first call controller and the second call controller, directly or via the at least one repeater with each of the plurality of terminals that have been grouped using the first identification information, and collect data from the sensors of the plurality of terminals that have been grouped by the first identification information (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [21]-[27], [32]-[36]).
It is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the wireless sensor communication network art to recognize that “POLO’s BLE automation mesh network 101 may be set up by the user to allow connectivity between various BLE enabled devices 102A-G. The BLE automation mesh network 101 includes at least one controlling BLE device 102 and at least one administrative device BLE 102 and plurality of the BLE 102 and one or more the BLE 102s participating as routing nodes or forwarding nodes based on the RSSI values” (Abstract, Figures 1-6, and associated paragraphs, [23]-[29], [45]-[47]) that correspond to “the instant data collection apparatus 20 and the instant host device 10 and a plurality of instant remote terminals 50 and the instant repeaters 30 as repeating the packets or messages based on the Received Signal strength Indicators (RSSI) values constructed by the wireless sensor network 65 (Abstract, Figure 1 and associated paragraphs, [44]-[48], [57]).
As to claim 2, POLO discloses, further comprising a general-purpose second communication device (an administrative device 102) capable of communicating with a general-purpose information processing apparatus (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, an administrative device, e.g., a separate BLE device of the BLE automation mesh network 101 that has access to central authority database and may add devices to and remove devices from the BLE automation mesh network 101, …, [21], [28]-[29]); and
a second communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to acquire group information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information of the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater grouped by the first identification information, via the second communication device and store the group information in the memory (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, an administrative device, e.g., a separate BLE device of the BLE automation mesh network 101 that has access to central authority database and may add devices to and remove devices from the BLE automation mesh network 101, …, [28]-[29]).
As to claim 3, POLO discloses, wherein the general-purpose information processing apparatus includes one of a tablet terminal and a smartphone terminal (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, a BLE 102 can be as a smartphone, [21]).
As to claim 4, POLO discloses, wherein the first communication device includes a device that is configured to perform specific low-power wireless communication (the , and the second communication device includes a device that is configured to perform BLE communication (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs).
As to claim 5, POLO discloses, a terminal (Figures 1, 24, one of the BLE devices 102A-102G as a BLE device in extending communication range or 2400) for communicating with the data collection apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:
a sampler (Figurers 1, 24, one of the processing unit 2412) that is configured to acquire data from a sensor (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs);
a first communication device (one of the network interfaces 2416 has function of communicating to) capable of communicating with the data collection apparatus directly or via at least one repeater (a forwarding node 102) (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs);
a memory (Figure 24, memory 2402, 2404) for storing the first identification information and second identification information that is unique to the terminal (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs); and
a first communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102A) that is configured to control communication via the first communication device (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs);
wherein the first communication control device includes:
a first response controller (a responding terminal or device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to send a response including the second identification information to a call with the first identification information received by the first communication device (Figures 1-7, 13 and associated paragraphs); and
a second response controller (a responding terminal or device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to send a response including the data from the sensor to a call with the second identification information received by the first communication device (Figures 1-7, 13 and associated paragraphs).
As to claim 6, POLO discloses, a general-purpose second communication device (Figures 1-3, the BLE device 102 as controlling device has a function of communicating with the BLE device as administrative device like a smartphone) capable of communicating with a general-purpose information processing apparatus (the BLE device as administrative device as a smartphone); and
a second communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining/receiving a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to acquire grouping information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information, via the second communication device and store the grouping information in the memory (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs).
As to claim 7, POLO discloses, a repeater (Figures 1-3. One or more of the BLE device 102 as a forwarding node 102D, E, G) for relaying communication between the data collection apparatus according to claim 1 and a plurality of terminals (Figures 1-3. The BLE devices102B-G) comprising:
a first communication device (one of the network interfaces 2416 has function of routing/forwarding packets) capable of relaying (routing or forwarding) communication between a plurality of terminals, which each acquire data from a sensor, and the data collection apparatus (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs);
a memory (Figure 24, memory 2402, 2404) for storing the first identification and second identification information that is unique to the repeater (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs, [178]-[181]); and
a first communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of receiving or obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to control communication via the first communication device,
wherein the first communication control device includes:
a first communication mode (a group broadcasting, a group ID) for communicating with the plurality of terminals using the first identification information (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [29], [32]-[36]);
a second communication mode (an unicasting or a pair-wise key) for communicating each of the plurality of terminals using the second identification information (Figures 1-3 and associated paragraphs, [29], [32]-[36], [40]);
a first response controller (a responding terminal or the BLE device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to send a response including the second identification information, to a call with the first identification information received by the first communication device (Figures 4-9 and associated paragraphs);
a first repeat controller (one or more of the BLE 102 has a forwarding function to route or to forward) that is configured to call using the first communication mode, according to a request (a packet 1200) from the data collection apparatus, at least the plurality of terminals regardless of whether there has been a response (a packet 1300), acquire the second identification information and a reception level (the RSSI values, [45]-[47]) of at least the plurality of terminals that have responded, and send the second identification information and the reception level in reply to the data collection apparatus (Figures 1-9 and associated paragraphs); and
a second repeat controller (a responding terminal or device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to call one out of the plurality of terminals in the second communication mode using the second identification information that has been instructed from the data collection apparatus, acquire data from the sensor of the terminal, and send the data in reply to the data collection apparatus (Figures 1-9, 12, 13 and associated paragraphs).
As to claim 8, POLO discloses, further comprising a general-purpose second communication device (Figures 1-3, the BLE device 102 as controlling device has a function of communicating with the BLE device as administrative device like a smartphone) capable of communicating with a general-purpose information processing apparatus (the BLE device as administrative device as a smartphone); and
a second communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to acquire grouping information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information, via the second communication device and store the grouping information in the memory (Figures 4-9 and associated paragraphs).
As to claim 9, POLO discloses, a system (Figures 1, 24) comprising the data collection apparatus according to claim 1, the system further comprising;
a plurality of the terminals (a plurality of the BLE 102B-G) that communicate with the data collection apparatus as a base terminal (one of the BLE device as a controlling BLE 102A), and
at least one repeater (one or more of the BLE 102 as a BLE forwarding device 102D-F) that relays communication with the data collection apparatus as the base terminal and the plurality of terminals as remote terminals (the BLE 102B-G), (Figures 1-9, 24 and associated paragraphs, [23]-[39], [178]).
As to claim 10, POLO discloses, wherein the data collection apparatus, the plurality of terminals, and the at least one repeater each include a general-purpose second communication device (Figures 1, 24, one of the BLE device has a network interfaces 2416 as BLE communication, [178]) capable of communicating with a general-purpose information processing apparatus (Figures 1, 24, one of the BLE device as a smartphone, [21]) (Figures 1-9 and associated paragraphs),
the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater each include a communication control device that is configured to acquire grouping information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information, via a second communication apparatus and store the grouping information in a memory (Figures 1-9, 24 and associated paragraphs); and
the data collection apparatus includes a communication control device that is configured to acquire, via the second communication device, group information including the first identification information and the second identification information of the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater that have been grouped using the first identification information, and store the group information in the memory of the data collection apparatus (Figures 1-9, 24 and associated paragraphs, [23]-[39], [178]).
As to claim 11, POLO discloses, further comprising the information processing apparatus (Figures 1, 24, the BLE device as an administrative device) that includes the general-purpose second communication device (Figures 24, the network interface (e.g., BLE communication) 2416) and a control device (Figures 24, the processor(s) 2412) that controls communication by the second communication device (Figures 24, the network interface (e.g., BLE communication) 2416),
wherein the control device of the information processing apparatus includes a network configurator (The administrative BLE device 102 has the functions of configuring the BLE automation mesh network 101 for a user to set up connectivity between various BLE enabled devices in the BLE automation mesh network 101, [22]-[29]), and
the network configurator executes:
establishing communication with and identifying each of the data collection apparatus (a BLE device as a controlling device), the plurality of terminals (other BLE devices 102), and the at least one repeater (one or more of the BLE 102 as a forwarding BLE device) via the second communication device (Figures 24, the network interface (e.g., BLE communication) 2416);
grouping by assigning the first identification information (a group ID or a network-wide key and an assigned individual ID) to at least a part of a set of the data collection apparatus, the plurality of terminals, and the at least one repeater that have been identified;
supplying the grouping information, which includes the common first identification information (a group ID or a network-wide key) and the individual second identification information (an assigned individual ID), to the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater that have been grouped; and
supplying the group information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information of the plurality of terminals and the at least one repeater that have been grouped, to the grouped data collection apparatus (Figures 1-9, 24 and associated paragraphs, [23]-[39], [178]).
Claims 12, 13 correspond to the method claims of the data collection apparatus claims 1, 2; therefore, they are rejected under the same rationale as in the data collection apparatus claims 1, 2 as shown above.
Claims 14, 15 correspond to the method claims of the terminal claims 5, 6; therefore, they are rejected under the same rationale in the terminal claims 5, 6 as shown above.
Claims 16, 17 correspond to the method claims of the repeater claims 7, 8; therefore, they are rejected under the same rationale in the repeater claims 7, 8 as shown above.
Claims 18; 19 correspond to the method claims of the system claims 9, 10; 11; therefore, they are rejected under the same rationale in the system claims 9, 10; 11 as shown above.
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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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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 5, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MOROZUMI et al. US 2024/0365131 A1, and in view of POLO et al. US 2016/0088424 A1.
As to claim 5, MOROZUMI discloses, a terminal (Figure 1, a remote unit 50) for communicating with the data collection apparatus (Figure 1, the collection apparatus 20) according to claim 1 ([26] The remote units 50 are one type of communication apparatus 60 that constructs the first communication network 65 and transmit communication messages while relaying communication to and from other communication apparatuses 60, for example, the repeaters 30 or the base unit 20), comprising:
a sampler (Figurer 1, a s sensor 59) that is configured to acquire data from a sensor (Figures 1-3, [27] Each remote unit 50 includes a sensor 59 that measures temperature, humidity, or the like, a built-in memory 58 that records measured values (measurement data) 59a,..);
a first communication device (one of the network interfaces 2416 has function of communicating to) capable of communicating with the data collection apparatus directly or via at least one repeater (a forwarding node 102) (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs);
However, MOROZUMI does not explicitly disclose the bold claimed elements of “a memory for storing the first identification information and second identification information that is unique to the terminal; and a first communication control device that is configured to control communication via the first communication device; wherein the first communication control device includes: a first response controller that is configured to send a response including the second identification information to a call with the first identification information received by the first communication device; and a second response controller that is configured to send a response including the data from the sensor to a call with the second identification information received by the first communication device.
POLO discloses in Figures 1, 24 and associated paragraphs, [178] that a memory (Figures 1, 24, memory 2402, 2404) for storing the first identification information (a group ID, [32] or a network-wide key, [36]) and second identification information (an assigned ID) that is unique to the terminal (Figures 1, 24, associated paragraphs, [22]-[36]); and
a first communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to control communication via the first communication device (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs);
wherein the first communication control device includes:
a first response controller (a responding terminal or device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to send a response including the second identification information to a call with the first identification information received by the first communication device (Figures 1-7, 13, and associated paragraphs); and
a second response controller (a responding terminal or device 102 may use the packet 1300 as a query response packet to respond the reachability of the controlling/requesting device) that is configured to send a response including the data from the sensor to a call with the second identification information received by the first communication device (Figures 1-7, 13 and associated paragraphs).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the wireless communication art before the effective filing date of the claimed to have modified POLO’s teachings of a group ID or a network-wide key and an assigned ID or individual ID with the teachings of MOROZUMI’s, for the purpose of communicating, relaying or forwarding the data or packets among the group of the wireless devices and the assigned individual wireless device in the wireless BLE automation mesh network 101.
As to claim 6, MOROZUMI-POLO discloses, a general-purpose second communication device (Figure 1-3, the BLE device 102 as controlling device has a function of communicating with the BLE device as administrative device like a smartphone) capable of communicating with a general-purpose information processing apparatus (the BLE device as administrative device as a smartphone) (Figures 1, 24, and associated paragraphs); and
a second communication control device (Figures 1-3, 24, one of the processing unit 2412, one of the BLE 102 as a controlling device has a function of obtaining a group ID and individually assigned ID from the administrative BLE device 102) that is configured to acquire grouping information, which includes the first identification information and the second identification information, via the second communication device and store the grouping information in the memory (Figures 1-3, 24 and associated paragraphs, for the purpose of communicating, relaying or forwarding the data or packets among the group of the wireless devices and the assigned individual wireless device in the wireless BLE automation mesh network).
The prior art cited in this Office action are: POLO et al. US 2016/0088424 A1; MOROZUMI et al. US 2024/0365131 A1.
Conclusion
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/HAI V NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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