DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Status of Claims
In response to communications filed on 17 November 2025, claims 10 and 16-32 are presently pending in the application, of which, claim 10 is presented in independent form. The Examiner acknowledges amended claims 16-32 and canceled claims 1 and 38. Claims 2-9, 11-15, and 39-41 were previously cancelled. No claims were newly added.
Priority
The Examiner acknowledges the instant application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/906,244, filed Jan. 19, 2016, which is a national stage entry of PCT International Application No. PCT/AU2014/000736, entitled "Systems, Methods, and Devices for Obtaining Feedback Information to Reveal Group Preferences", filed Jul. 18, 2014 and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/856,441, entitled "Systems, Methods and Devices for Obtaining Feedback Information to Reveal Group Preferences", filed Jul. 19, 2013. This application is also related to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/700,593, entitled "Systems, Methods and devices for Networking Over A Network", filed Sep. 13, 2012, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/794,894, entitled "Systems, Methods and Devices for Networking Over A Network", filed Mar. 15, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/832,466, entitled "Systems, Methods and Devices for Networking Over A Network", filed Jul. 7, 2013 and has been accorded the earliest effective file date.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 17 November 2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. 12,050,137 and U.S. 9,860,129 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
All objections and/or rejections issued in the previous Office Action, mailed 19 May 2025, have been withdrawn, unless otherwise noted in this Office Action.
Applicant's arguments filed 17 November 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments are directed to amended features and therefore have been incorporated into the rejection below.
No other arguments were presented by the Applicant and therefore the Examiner maintains the rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 10, 16-32, and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being unpatentable by Gorgen, Daniel, et al (U.S. 2013/0188492 and known hereinafter as Gorgen).
As per claim 10, Gorgen teaches a network system comprising:
(a) a plurality of devices wherein a substantial portion of the plurality of devices (e.g. Gorgen, see Figure 1A, which discloses a plurality of devices as nodes within a networked environment) are capable of transmitting data and/or receiving data (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraph [0038], which discloses one or more device is capable of transmitting or receiving data packets via a wireless communication path.); and
(b) at least one gateway that is capable of transmitting and/or receiving data (Gorgen, see paragraphs [0036-0039], which discloses a typical network with mesh topology where one or gateway may reside in which the gateway provides a communication path between the nodes and the control center to receive and transmit data.);
(c) at least one route within the network (Gorgen, see paragraphs [0038-0040], which discloses a data packet transmission from a sender A to several specific receiver B among the plurality of network nodes can be performed, where the receivers B is one or more receivers indicating one or more electronic computing device and receiving and transmitting one or more data packets.);
wherein first data is transmitted from at least one gateway to a first device in at least one route (Gorgen, see paragraphs [0038-0040], which discloses a data packet transmission from a sender A to several specific receiver B among the plurality of network nodes can be performed, where the receivers B is one or more receivers indicating one or more electronic computing device and receiving and transmitting one or more data packets.) and then second data is appended to the first data (e.g. Gorden, see paragraph [0043], which discloses the reverse-route information stored at the respective nodes is shown for the example of FIG. 4A. Thus, after node N1 has received an uplink data packet directed to the collector node 50 from the sender node A, node N1 stores an address or other identifying information of node A as destination node information and as next node information, since for node N1 node A is both, the original sender node and the transmitting node. Then, node N1 forwards the uplink data packet to the next node N2 according to the sink-distance vector routing protocol. After having received the uplink data packet from node N1, node N2 stores the address of node A as destination node information and the address of node N1 as next node information in its route cache. Next, node N2 forwards the uplink data packet to the collector node 50, which caches the address of node A as destination node information and N2 as next node information for downlink transmissions to node A.) and transmitted from the first device to a second device in the at least one route (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraph [0043], which discloses transmitting from node N1 to node N2.) and so forth until at least 50% of the devices forming the route have transmitted respective data (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0046-0048], which discloses a mesh network topology that can span larger distances in which a routing tables are provided that allow for gateways to facilitate communication between one or more nodes, where one or more nodes contain one or more devices on the network. The Examiner notes the number of devices forming the route have transmitted the respective data is an intended use of the number of nodes on a network, where the number of acknowledgements can be combined with a cached downlink data packet, thereby increasing network efficiency based on overhead and payload of the data packets.);
wherein respective data is transmitted back to the at least one gateway along the at least one route by hopping from one device to another device along the route until the data is received at least one gateway and at least 50% of the devices forming the route have transmitted data (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0003-0005], which discloses a mesh network topology that can span larger distances in which a routing tables are provided that allow for gateways to facilitate communication between one or more nodes, where one or more nodes contain one or more devices on the network. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.); and
wherein the system is capable of handling at least 50, 100, 200, 300, 500, 1,000, 5,0000, or 10,000 hopes between the at least one gateway and the series of devices making up the at least one route (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0038-0039], which discloses for large RF networks, costs of deployment are factored in when routing tables are created and used by one or more gateway to facilitate transmission of data packets on a communication network. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment. See further Figure 1A, which illustrates a plurality of devices as part of the wireless network. See further paragraphs [0039-0042], which discloses a plurality of sensors may be installed or carried by one or more individual.).
As per claim 16, Gorgen teaches the network system of claim 10, wherein the ratio of available bandwidth to the net pay load is between 200 to 250,000, 300 to 5000, 1000 to 100,000, 50,000 to 1 million or 500,000 to 10 million (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 17, Gorgen teaches the network system of claim 10, wherein the ratio of channel capacity to the net pay load is between 200 to 250,000, 300 to 5000, 1000 to 100,000, 50,000 to 1 million or 500,000 to 10 million (e.g. Gorgen, see Figure 4, which discloses a plurality of devices as part of the wireless network, see further paragraph [0017]).
As per claim 18, Gorgen teaches the network system of claim 10, wherein the system is a low-bandwidth application (e.g. Gorgen, see Figure 4, which discloses a plurality of devices as part of the wireless network, see further paragraph [0017]).
As per claim 19, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein at least 85%, 90%, 95%, 98%, 99%, 99.5% or 99.8% of the devices in the network are capable of interacting with at least one neighboring device (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 20, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the ratio of transmit plus receive time to idle time is between 100 to 300,000, 100 to 500, 200 to 1000, 500 to 2000, 1000 to 10,000, 1000 to 5000, 10,000 to 50,000, 40,000 to 120,000, 50,000 to 140,000, 80,000 to 200,000, 120,000 to 300,000 or 160,000 to 350,000 (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 21, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein substantial portion of the plurality of devices in the network are relatively inexpensive and/or power efficient (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 22, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein extensions to the network may be achieved by adding more devices to the network without the need to reconfigure complex and/or powerful central transmitters and/or receivers (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 23, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein transmission overhead is significantly reduced (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 24, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein MAC layer overhead is 0%, less than 1%, less than 5% or less than 10% (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 25, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the system is preconfigured by creating one or more of the following: optimized routes and optimized resources (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0044-0047], which discloses optimization uses the input information to balance the requirements to generate a best compromise or an optimized setting against which a climate control device will operate.).
As per claim 26, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the optimized resource is one or more of the following: channel, time slot, CDMA sequence, frequency hopping sequence and FDD bins (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses a sensor network that includes measurements or settings from a network.).
As per claim 27, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein transmission overhead is reduced by suppressing one or more of the following: source headers, destination headers and request-channel allocation-transmission overhead (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses a sensor network that includes measurements or settings from a network.).
As per claim 28, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the number of devices within the network is between 25,000 to 500,000; 100,000 to 1,000,000, 250,000 to 600,000, 500,000 to 1 million; 500,000 to 2 million; 700,000 to 2 million 800,000 to 5 million, 1 million to 10 million or 2 million to 15 million (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback. The Examiner notes that such percentage or range is a user preference that is confined to the particulate technological environment.).
As per claim 29, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the plurality of devices are one or more of the following: current sensors, light sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, gas sensors, chemicals sensors, proximity sensors, movement sensors, magnetic sensors, radiation sensors, cameras, scanners, sprinkles, heater controllers, pump controllers, air-con controllers, and water supply controllers (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback.).
As per claim 30, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the plurality of devices perform one or more of the following functions: measure something, control another device, monitor something, report measured data back, report anomalies, and accept and execute control commands (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback.).
As per claim 31, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the packet exchange and routing is done with zero overhead and no addresses are required (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback.).
As per claim 32, Gorgen teaches the network systems of claim 10, wherein the packet exchange and routing is done with substantially no overhead and no addresses are required (e.g. Gorgen, see paragraphs [0023-0026], which discloses feedback devices or measurement devices for measuring conditions are configured to transmit feedback.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. See attached PTO-892 that includes additional prior art of record describing the general state of the art in which the invention is directed to.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARHAN M SYED whose telephone number is (571)272-7191. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Apu Mofiz can be reached at 571-272-4080. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FARHAN M SYED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2161 February 5, 2026