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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to application no. 18/693,108 filed on 03/18/2024.
Claims 1 – 8 are pending and ready for examination.
Priority
This application is a 371 U.S. National Phase of International Application No. PCT/JP2021/035463, filed on September 27, 2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/18/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 5 is 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.
Claim 5 recites in line 3 the limitation "the storage battery". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as “storage battery” has not been recited in previous statements or in linking claim 1. Accordingly, claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). For the purpose of this examination, it is considered as if the limitation is recited as “a storage battery”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanamitsu (US 2019/0327681 A1) in view of RYOO et al. (RYOO hereinafter referred to RYOO) (US 2020/0322854 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hanamitsu teaches a communication system (Title, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM; Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication system 10) in which at least a master unit of the master unit (Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication device 1 serving as a wireless LAN master unit) and a slave unit (Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication device 2 serving as a wireless LAN slave unit) is driven by a finite power source ([0026], The slave unit 2 is driven by a battery. Here, the battery is a finite power source),
wherein the master unit notifies the slave unit by including period information indicating a shortest sleep period ([0042], the master unit 1 sets the sleep duration during the setting operation shorter than the sleep duration when the setting processing for the slave unit 2 is unnecessary (hereinafter referred to as “during a non-setting operation”). Thus, the master unit 1 prevents the slave unit 2 from staying in the sleep state for a long period; [0051], control unit 115 causes the slave unit 2 to set the sleep duration to a sleep duration T1 during the setting operation, which is shorter than a sleep duration T0 during the non-setting operation; [0094], the shortest period of the sleep duration can be set in the slave unit 2), in a communication signal with the slave unit before transitioning to a sleep state in which a power saving operation is possible ([0034], in a battery-driven device, a sleep state, in which power is controlled not to supply power to functions other than some necessary functions, is used to reduce power consumption) and communication is disabled ([0034], in a battery-driven wireless communication device, power consumption is reduced by turning off the power for the communication function portion and shifting the device to a sleep state when necessary communication is completed or when a communication partner does not communicate for a predetermined period), with respect to the sleep period of operating in the sleep state after transitioning to the sleep state, and the slave unit performs a power saving operation during the period notified of by the master unit ([0059], Upon reception of the control command from the master unit 1, the slave unit 2 sets the sleep duration to the sleep duration T1 during the setting operation. Thus, the sleep duration of the slave unit 2 is set to shorter than the sleep duration T0 during the non-setting operation; [0036], The communication timeout period of the slave unit 2 is set to a relatively short period of about 10 seconds to reduce power consumption).
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
a shortest sleep period, which is a shortest possible period of a sleep period, performs a power saving operation during the shortest period.
However, RYOO teaches (Title, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOW-POWER OPERATIONS OF TERMINAL AND BASE STATION IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM)
a shortest sleep period, which is a shortest possible period of a sleep period ([0208], a minimum idle interval (i.e., the time maintained to a minimum when making transition to RRC Idle). Here, the minimum idle interval is a shortest sleep period), with respect to the sleep period of operating in the sleep state after transitioning to the sleep state, and performs a power saving operation during the shortest period ([0208], a minimum idle interval is determined based on such promotion cost-related information, and transition to the RRC connected state is delayed. Accordingly, a power reduction effect of a UE when the UE enters the idle mode is guaranteed because the minimum idle interval maintained to a minimum when the UE makes transition to RRC Idle is applied. Here, a power saving operation during the shortest period is performed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hanamitsu as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of RYOO. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide method and apparatus for low-power operations of terminal and base station in mobile communication system, in which a power reduction effect of a UE when the UE enters the idle mode can be guaranteed because the minimum idle interval maintained to a minimum when the UE makes transition to RRC Idle is applied (RYOO, Title and [0208]).
Regarding claim 8, Hanamitsu teaches (Title, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM) a control method of a master unit (Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication device 1 serving as a wireless LAN master unit) and a slave unit (Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication device 2 serving as a wireless LAN slave unit) in a communication system (Fig.1 and [0017], wireless communication system 10) in which at least the master unit of the master unit and the slave unit is driven by a finite power source ([0026], The slave unit 2 is driven by a battery. Here, the battery is a finite power source), the control method comprising:
notifying, by the master unit, the slave unit by including period information indicating a shortest sleep period ([0042], the master unit 1 sets the sleep duration during the setting operation shorter than the sleep duration when the setting processing for the slave unit 2 is unnecessary (hereinafter referred to as “during a non-setting operation”). Thus, the master unit 1 prevents the slave unit 2 from staying in the sleep state for a long period; [0051], control unit 115 causes the slave unit 2 to set the sleep duration to a sleep duration T1 during the setting operation, which is shorter than a sleep duration T0 during the non-setting operation; [0094], the shortest period of the sleep duration can be set in the slave unit 2), in a communication signal with the slave unit before transitioning to a sleep state in which a power saving operation is possible ([0034], in a battery-driven device, a sleep state, in which power is controlled not to supply power to functions other than some necessary functions, is used to reduce power consumption) and communication is disabled ([0034], in a battery-driven wireless communication device, power consumption is reduced by turning off the power for the communication function portion and shifting the device to a sleep state when necessary communication is completed or when a communication partner does not communicate for a predetermined period), with respect to the sleep period of operating in the sleep state after transitioning to the sleep state, and performing, by the slave unit a power saving operation during the period notified of by the master unit ([0059], Upon reception of the control command from the master unit 1, the slave unit 2 sets the sleep duration to the sleep duration T1 during the setting operation. Thus, the sleep duration of the slave unit 2 is set to shorter than the sleep duration T0 during the non-setting operation; [0036], The communication timeout period of the slave unit 2 is set to a relatively short period of about 10 seconds to reduce power consumption).
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
a shortest sleep period, which is a shortest possible period of a sleep period, performing, a power saving operation during the shortest period.
However, RYOO teaches (Title, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LOW-POWER OPERATIONS OF TERMINAL AND BASE STATION IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION SYSTEM)
a shortest sleep period, which is a shortest possible period of a sleep period ([0208], a minimum idle interval (i.e., the time maintained to a minimum when making transition to RRC Idle). Here, the minimum idle interval is a shortest sleep period), with respect to the sleep period of operating in the sleep state after transitioning to the sleep state, and performing, a power saving operation during the shortest period ([0208], a minimum idle interval is determined based on such promotion cost-related information, and transition to the RRC connected state is delayed. Accordingly, a power reduction effect of a UE when the UE enters the idle mode is guaranteed because the minimum idle interval maintained to a minimum when the UE makes transition to RRC Idle is applied. Here, a power saving operation during the shortest period is performed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hanamitsu as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of RYOO. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide method and apparatus for low-power operations of terminal and base station in mobile communication system, in which a power reduction effect of a UE when the UE enters the idle mode can be guaranteed because the minimum idle interval maintained to a minimum when the UE makes transition to RRC Idle is applied (RYOO, Title and [0208]).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanamitsu in view of RYOO and further in view of Suh et al. (Suh hereinafter referred to Suh) (US 2018/0269863 A1).
Regarding claim 2, combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
wherein the master unit is configured to return from the sleep state at any timing after expiration of the shortest sleep period.
However Suh teaches (Title, INTELLIGENT POWER MODULES FOR RESONANT CONVERTERS)
wherein the master unit is configured to return from the sleep state at any timing after expiration of the shortest sleep period ([0087], [0091] and claim 21, When the minimum off duration expires, the method continues to detect for system input signal. Here, the minimum off duration is considered as the shortest sleep period; therefore, the method performed by the apparatus/ master unit is configured to detect system input signal/ perform normal operation/ return from the off/ sleep state after the expiration of the shortest sleep period).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO as mentioned in claim 1 and further incorporate the teaching of Suh. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide an intelligent power module that includes a control circuit to detect for abnormal system input signal pulse events and block system undesired input pulses to improve noise immunity, efficiency, and system reliability (Suh, Abstract and [0074]).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanamitsu in view of RYOO and further in view of TANAKA et al. (TANAKA hereinafter referred to TANAKA) (US 2018/0084493 A1) (cited in IDS).
Regarding claim 3, combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Hanamitsu further teaches
wherein the master unit includes
a processor (Fig.1 and [0024], system control unit 115); and
a storage medium (Fig.1 and [0025], storage unit 116) having computer program instructions stored thereon, when executed by the processor, perform ([0025], The storage unit 116 is a memory that stores a control program and the like necessary for the system control unit 115 to perform processing) to:
determine the shortest sleep period ([0051], control unit 115 causes the slave unit 2 to set the sleep duration to a sleep duration T1 during the setting operation; [0094], the shortest period of the sleep duration can be set in the slave unit 2).
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
wherein the master unit includes a rechargeable storage battery as the finite power source,
determine the shortest sleep period on the basis of a remaining capacity of the storage battery and an amount of charge required according to the remaining capacity.
However TANAKA teaches (Title, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM)
wherein the master unit (Fig.1 and 2, base station 100) includes a rechargeable storage battery (Fig.2, [0078] and [0088], power supply section 140 is configured from a battery power supply) as the finite power source (Fig.2 and [0088], The power supply section 140 supplies electric power to the components of the base station 100 is configured from a fixed power supply),
a processor (Fig.2 and [0089], control section 150); and
a storage medium (Fig.2 and [0078], storage section 130) having computer program instructions stored thereon, when executed by the processor ([0087], The storage section 130 has a role as a working area for a data process by the control section 150 and a function as a storage medium for retaining various kinds of data; a storage medium such as a nonvolatile memory, a magnetic disk, an optical disk…), perform to:
determine the sleep period on the basis of a remaining capacity of the storage battery and an amount of charge required according to the remaining capacity ([0154], [0213] and [0299], where the power supply of the base station 100 is a battery and the remaining battery capacity is low with reference to a threshold value, the function temporary pause period of the base station 100 is set long. Here, the temporary pause period is considered as a sleep period. Since, the temporary pause period is made long depending on the remaining battery capacity; therefore, it is obvious to consider that the sleep period is determined on the basis of a remaining capacity of the storage battery. The remaining capacity provides an amount of charge required; therefore, the sleep period is determined on the basis of the amount of charge required according to the remaining capacity).
(Hanamitsu discloses determination of the shortest sleep period and TANAKA discloses the determination of the sleep period on the basis of a remaining capacity of the storage battery; therefore, it is obvious to consider in view of Hanamitsu and TANAKA to determine the shortest sleep period on the basis of a remaining capacity …. )
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO as mentioned in claim 1 and further incorporate the teaching of TANAKA. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide an information processing apparatus that includes a control section, and temporarily pauses at least some of its own functions so that power consumption of the information processing apparatus can be reduced effectively (TANAKA, Abstract and [0029]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanamitsu and RYOO in view of TANAKA and further in view of YOSHIDA et al. (YOSHIDA hereinafter referred to YOSHIDA) (US 2018/0241342 A1).
Regarding claim 5, combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
wherein the master unit further includes
a power supply unit that supplies power for charging to the storage battery by power supply means in which solar power generation, optical power supply, or other energy harvesting technology is applied.
However TANAKA teaches (Title, INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM)
wherein the master unit (Fig.1 and 2, base station 100) further includes a power supply unit (Fig.2, [0078] and [0088], power supply section 140).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO as mentioned in claim 1 and further incorporate the teaching of TANAKA. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide an information processing apparatus that includes a control section, and temporarily pauses at least some of its own functions so that power consumption of the information processing apparatus can be reduced effectively (TANAKA, Abstract and [0029]).
The combination of Hanamitsu, RYOO and TANAKA does not specifically teach
a power supply unit that supplies power for charging to the storage battery by power supply means in which solar power generation, optical power supply, or other energy harvesting technology is applied.
However YOSHIDA teaches (Title, PHOTOELECTRIC CONVERSION DEVICE)
a power supply unit (Fig.1, photoelectric conversion device 1) that supplies power for charging to the storage battery by power supply means in which solar power generation (Fig.1 and [0100], photoelectric conversion device 1 is configured to charge the rechargeable battery 25 using the one or more solar cell module groups 10 as a supply source of electrical power. Here, the storage battery 25 is charged by solar power generation 10), optical power supply, or other energy harvesting technology is applied (Due to alternative language “or” in the claim, examiner addresses one limitation only).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Hanamitsu, RYOO and TANAKA as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of YOSHIDA. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a photoelectric conversion device that facilitates addition of solar cell module groups and enables improvement of convenience (YOSHIDA, Abstract and [0023]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hanamitsu in view of RYOO and further in view of YANG et al. (YANG hereinafter referred to YANG) (WO 2020/063685 A1)(ENG. Copy is attached).
Regarding claim 6, combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Hanamitsu further teaches
wherein the master unit further includes a communication circuit (Fig.1 and [0018], wireless communication control unit 111) that implements a function as network unit ([0019], The wireless communication control unit 111 transmits and receives data, commands, and the like to and from the slave unit 2 conforming to the wireless communication standard).
Hanamitsu does not specifically teach
an optical communication unit for connecting to an optical line terminal, and implements a function as an optical network unit.
However YANG teaches (Title, OPTICAL NETWORK SYSTEM, OLT, SIGNAL TRANSMISSION METHOD AND READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM)
an optical communication unit (a main optical splitter) for connecting to an optical line terminal, and implements a function as an optical network unit (Abstract and Fig.2, The optical network system comprises an optical line terminal module, a main optical splitter; the main optical splitter is an M: N type optical splitter, and both M and N are greater than or equal to 2; the M end of the main optical splitter is connected with the optical line terminal module, and the N end of the main optical splitter is connected with the optical network system. Here, the main optical splitter connects to an optical line terminal and implements a function as an optical network unit).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Hanamitsu and RYOO as mentioned in claim 1 and further incorporate the teaching of YANG. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide an optical network system in which M: N type main optical splitter effectively avoids the power loss of the uplink signal, significantly improves the uplink power budget, and provides a wider range of application space for the optical network system (YANG, Pg.6: last para and Pg.7: 1st para).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 7 are 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
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
YOSHIDA (Pub. No. US 2016/0352107 A1) – “CHARGING CONTROL DEVICE” discloses a charging control device that executes charge control appropriately without reducing effects of charge control, and is configured to include a charged state calculation unit configured to calculate remaining capacity of battery that can be charged and discharged, based on signal from a sensor to detect state of the battery; an accumulated charge and discharge calculation unit configured to calculate an accumulated amount of charge and discharge of the battery after activation of the battery, based on the signal from the sensor; an execution determination unit configured, in a case where remaining capacity calculated by charged state calculation unit is less than first threshold, to determine whether to execute charge control to recover remaining capacity of the battery, based on accumulated amount calculated by accumulated charge and discharge calculation unit; and charge control unit configured to execute charge control following determination result by execution determination unit.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROWNAK ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-8009. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 6 pm (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached on 571-272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROWNAK ISLAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474