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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/28/2024, 11/14/2025 and 03/26/2026. The submission 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 § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1-4,7-8, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al (U.S. 2020/0112845 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zhao et al discloses a device connection method (figure 6A, a method for establishing a wireless communication connection; paragraph 0134) , performed by an electronic device (figures 2A-2B, a smartwatch 200 and a mobile phone 220); wherein the electronic device supports operation of a first system and a second system (figure 6A, first device and a second device ); wherein the device connection method comprises: sending, by the second system, a wireless scanning request to the first system (figure 6, S602, paragraph 0136, “…the first device (.e., the second system) sends a network scanning request to the second device (i.e., the first system)”); performing, by the first system, wireless signal scanning based on the wireless scanning request (figure 6, S604, paragraph 0139, “…second device (i.e., the first system) scans the at least one first wireless signal); sending, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system a case where a target wireless signal is scanned and detected (figure 6, S607; paragraph 0146); and establishing, by the second system, a wireless communication connection with a target external device based on the connection establishment request; wherein the target external device is an external device that transmits the target wireless signal (figure 6A, S607; paragraph 0146). Although Zhao et al does not disclose sending, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system, Zhao et al discloses sending, by the second system (i.e., the first device), a connection establishment request to the first system(i.e., the second device) (figure 6, S607; paragraph 0146). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to send, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system, since it has been held that a mere reversal of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. In re Einstein, 8 USPQ 167.
Regarding claim 2, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein a scanning parameter is included in the wireless scanning request (figures 6A and 8, S602; paragraph 0136), and the performing, by the first system, wireless signal scanning based on the wireless scanning request comprises: performing, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning based on the scanning parameter (figure 8, S801; paragraph 0168).
Regarding claim 3, and as applied to the claim 2 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein the performing, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning based on the scanning parameter comprises performing, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning based on a scanning method indicated by the scanning parameter (figure 6, S604; paragraph 0139).
Regarding claim 4, and as applied to the claim 3 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein the first system is arranged with a scanning strategy, and the scanning strategy is configured to indicate a condition to be satisfied when performing the wireless signal scanning (figure 8, S602; paragraph 0136); the performing, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning based on a scanning method indicated by the scanning parameter comprises: in a case where the scanning strategy is satisfied, performing, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning based on the scanning method indicated by the scanning parameter; the method further comprises: in a case where the scanning strategy is not satisfied, stopping, by the first system, the wireless signal scanning (figure 8, S701; paragraphs 0165-0166).
Regarding claim 7, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein, the sending, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system a case where a target wireless signal is scanned and detected comprises: obtaining, by the first system, a device identification included in the wireless signal; and in a case where the device identification is a target device identification, sending, by the first system, the connection establishment request to the second system; wherein the target device identification is an identification of the target external device, and the target device identification is provided by the second system (paragraphs 0140 and 0146).
Regarding claim 8, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein the connection establishment request includes the target wireless signal; the establishing, by the second system, a wireless communication connection with a target external device based on the connection establishment request comprises: obtaining, by the second system, a target device parameter of the target external device based on the target wireless signal; sending, by the second system (paragraphs 0146 and 0168-169), a wireless connection request to the target external device based on the target device parameter; and in response to a request acceptance response from the target external device, establishing, by the second system, the wireless communication connection with the target external device (paragraph 0157).
Regarding claim 15, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein an operating power consumption of the first system is lower than an operating power consumption of the second system (paragraphs 0097-0098).
Regarding claim 16, and as applied to the claim 1 above, wherein, the first system is configured to process events at least one of: dial display, notification message display, wireless signal scanning, sending and receiving of signals and data; and/or, the second system is configured to process events at least one of: incoming call answering, message replying, dial editing, function setting, communication upper layer business (paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 17, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein the establishing, by the second system, a wireless communication connection with a target external device based on the connection establishment request, comprises: sending, by the second system, connection request data to the first system; (figure 6A, S607; paragraph 0146) and sending, by the first system, a wireless connection request to the target external device via a wireless communication module based on the connection request data (figure 6A, S607; paragraph 0146).
Regarding claim 18, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al discloses wherein, the electronic device is a smartwatch and the external device is an in-vehicle management machine (paragraphs 0002-0004 and 0097).
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 is similar in scope to the claim 1 and thus the rejection to claim 1 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 19.
Regarding claim 20, claim 20 is similar in scope to the claim 1 and thus the rejection to claim 1 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 20.
Claim(s) 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al (U.S. 2020/0112845 A1) in view of Le et al (U.S. 2023/0047724 A1).
Regarding claim 9, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al dose not disclose the method further comprising: sending, by the second system, a positioning broadcast; wherein the positioning broadcast is configured for the target external device to adjust a device state based on the positioning broadcast.
Le et al discloses broadcast a wireless signal (paragraphs 0113-0114).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Le et al n to the method of Zhao et al such that the positioning broadcast could be configured for the target external device to adjust a device state based on the positioning broadcast with reduce power consumption
Regarding claim 11, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al dose not disclose wherein the sending, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system a case where a target wireless signal is scanned and detected comprises: in a case where the target wireless signal is scanned and detected and the second system is in a dormant state, waking up, by the first system, the second system; and in a case where the second system is in a wake-up state, sending, by the first system, the connection establishment request to the second system.
Le et al discloses the sensor hub can directly wake up the dormant processor (paragraph 0142).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Le et al in to the method of Zhao et al such that the sending, by the first system, a connection establishment request to the second system a case where a target wireless signal is scanned and detected comprises: in a case where the target wireless signal is scanned and detected and the second system is in a dormant state, waking up, by the first system, the second system; and in a case where the second system is in a wake-up state, sending, by the first system, the connection establishment request to the second system in order to update the device.
Claim(s) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao et al (U.S. 2020/0112845 A1) in view of Zhu et al (U.S. 2017/0039058 A1).
Regarding claim 12, and as applied to the claim 1 above, Zhao et al dose not disclose wherein the first system and the second system share a wireless communication component of the electronic device; the method further comprises: sending, by the second system, a heartbeat packet sending request to the first system; and sending, by the first system, a heartbeat packet to the target external device based on the heartbeat packet sending request; wherein the heartbeat packet is configured to maintain the wireless communication connection with the target external device.
Zhu discloses sending/receiving a heartbeat packet request (paragraph 0031)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhu et al in to the method of Zhao et al such that the method could be comprised: sending, by the second system, a heartbeat packet sending request to the first system in order to indicate that the connection is maintained.
Regarding claim 13, and as applied to the claim 12 above, Zhao et al dose not disclose wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the first system, a heartbeat feedback packet sent from the target external device; wherein the heartbeat feedback packet comprises a device state of the target external device.
Zhu discloses sending/receiving a heartbeat packet request (paragraph 0031)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhu et al in to the method of Zhao et al such that the method further could be comprised: receiving, by the first system, a heartbeat feedback packet sent from the target external device in order to indicate that the connection is maintained.
Regarding claim 14, and as applied to the claim 13 above, Zhao et al dose not disclose wherein the heartbeat packet sending request further comprises a feedback packet processing strategy, and the first system is configured to process the heartbeat feedback packet according to the feedback packet processing strategy.
Zhu discloses sending/receiving a heartbeat packet request (paragraph 0031)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zhu et al in to the method of Zhao et al such that the method further could be comprised: receiving, by the first system, a heartbeat feedback packet sent from the target external device in order to indicate that the connection is maintained.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 10 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
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/FATUMA G SHERIF/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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