DETAILED ACTION
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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, and 8-13, 15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vora (US 2015/0305123).
Regarding claim 1, Vora teaches a sensing device, comprising: an input-output module configured to interface with an external device (Fig. 5B); a communication module (Fig. 3); and one or more electronic processors, wherein the one or more electronic processors (Fig. 3) are configured to: receive one or more parameters (unique ID signal (serial number)) associated with the external device via the input-output module (ID, Step 324 Fig. 5B) [0087]; package the received data (as handshaking signal) (Fig. 5B) [0085]; determine whether a broadcast interval (interpreted as predetermined among of time) has expired (determine if a response has been received within the predetermined amount of time (timeout?) [0088] and Fig. 5B); broadcast the packaged data (sending the ID to a second device when first predetermined amount of time is expired without a response) in response to determining that the broadcast interval has expired [0088].
Regarding claim 2, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 1, wherein packaging the data includes embedding the data into a wireless communication protocol SSID packet [0095].
Regarding claim 3, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 1, wherein broadcasting the data includes transmitting the data using a wireless communication protocol [0096].
Regarding claim 4, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 1, wherein the external device is an electromechanical device [0159].
Regarding claim 6, Vora teaches a sensing device, comprising: an input-output module configured to interface with an external device (Fig. 5B); a communication module (Fig. 3); and one or more electronic processors [0058], wherein the one or more electronic processors (Vora teaches the various network options, which clearly would include processors) [0059] (Fig. 3) are configured to: receive one or more parameters (unique ID signals (with serial numbers)) associated with the external device via the input-output module (ID, Step 324 Fig. 5B) [0085]; package the received data (data packets) (Vora teaches sending the IDs [0085] and further teaches that information is transmitted through the network by data packets [0095]); establish a communication link with one or more external devices (communication link is established when the control device receives is able to receive the serial number transmitted [0085]; and transmit the packaged data (application receives a communication from a control device corresponding the serial number entered and device is registered [0085]) in response to establishing the communication link (Fig. 5B) [0085].
Regarding claim 8, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 6, wherein transmitting the packaged data includes transmitting the packaged data using wireless communication protocol [0096].
Regarding claim 9, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 6, wherein the external device is an electromechanical device [0159].
Regarding claim 10, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 6, wherein the input-output interface is a general-purpose input-output interface [0057].
Regarding claim 11, Vora teaches the sensing device of claim 6, further comprising: one or more sensors configured to sense supplemental parameters associated with the external device [0069].
Regarding claim 12, Vora teaches a method, comprising: sensing one or more parameters of an electromechanical device (unique ID, Fig. 5B); packaging the sensed parameters into a message (sensed parameters is the data entered including the serial number or ID number [0085]); determining whether the message can be transmitted (attempting to communicate with the control device and determining that transmission cannot be made when the predetermined amount of time has passed without a response ((Fig. 5B), timeout?) [0088]; and transmitting the message (the serial number or ID number) to one or more external devices (control device) [0088], based on determining that the message can be transmitted (when a predefined handshake/registration message is received by the control device within the predetermined amount of time [0088] (Fig. 5B).
Regarding claim 13, Vora teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the message is determined to be able to be transmitted based on determining that a broadcast interval time period has expired (once the predetermined amount of time has expired, whether or not a handshake/registration message is received determines whether or not the message is able to be transmitted [0088] (Fig. 5B).
Regarding claim 15, Vora teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the message is determined to be able to be transmitted based on determining that a communication link with the one or more external devices has been established (when timeout does not occur and the control device receives a response, therefore communication has been successful [0088] (Fig. 5B)).
Regarding claim 18, Vora teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the message is transmitted using wireless communication protocol [0096].
Regarding claim 19, Vora teaches the method of claim 12, wherein packaging the data includes embedding the data into a wireless communication protocol SSID packet [0095].
Regarding claim 20, Vora teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising receiving one or more parameters (the user enters various information) from the electromechanical device via an input-output interface of the electromechanical device [0085], wherein the received parameters are separate from the sensed parameters (the ID and the one or more parameters are separate as the ID is used to register [0085] (Fig. 5B)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7, 14, 16, and 17 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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/08/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, applicant argues Vora fails to disclose at least an input-output module configured to interface with an external device and one or more electronic processors configured to receive one or more parameters associated with the external device via the input-output module, package the received data, determine whether a broadcast interval has expired, and broadcast the packaged data in response to determining that the broadcast interval has expired. The examiner disagrees as further explained in the rejection above.
Vora teaches at least an input-output module (the control device) configured to interface with an external device (the end unit) and one or more electronic processors (a control device would clearly have a processor) configured to receive one or more parameters (at least the unique ID) associated with the external device [0085] via the input-output module 160 [0073], package the received data (Vora teaches the use of data packets to transmit the information within the network [0095]), determine whether a broadcast interval has expired (determines whether the predefined amount of time has expired [0087], and broadcast (registering the ID) the packaged data in response to determining that the broadcast interval has expired (the determination is whether or not a response has been received by the control device before the predefined amount of time has expired [0087]). Applicant has not defined a broadcast interval in such a way that prevents the predefined amount of time from being interpreted as a broadcast interval. It is an interval of time in which a broadcast (transmission of the unique ID) is monitored for a response. The rejection of claim 1 stands.
Claim 6 is similarly rejected. Additionally, applicant argues Vora does not describe how the devices packages the received data and establishes a communication link with one or more external devices. The examiner disagrees. Vora clearly teaches the use of data packets and includes a variety of information that is included in these packets [0085]. The claims do not define a package in such a way that the data packets taught by Vora do not read on them. Vora clearly teaches when a communication link is established (when a predefined handshake/registration message) is received by the control device) [0088]. The rejection of claim 6 stands.
Claim 12 is similarly rejected. Additionally, applicant argues this is different than what is claim but the Examiner disagrees. As currently presented, the limitations of claim 12 are met by the features, as described in the rejection of claim 12. While the claimed invention may be different, the scope overlaps with the subject matter of Vora. The rejection of claim 12 stands.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW V DO whose telephone number is (571)270-3420. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30-4:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Walter L Lindsay can be reached at 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/A.V.D/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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