DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 07/10/2024.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
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 07/29/2024, 10/08/2024, 11/13/2024, and 05/19/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
18768332
U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264
1. A method comprising: in response to determining, at a first node in a mesh network and based on a first combined accumulated message success rate, that a search for a different parent node should be performed, the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination via an established parent node, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate: performing, at the first node, one or more communication operations to discover a plurality of nearby nodes; computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes; and based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
1. A method comprising: determining, at a first node in a mesh network, a first combined accumulated message success rate that is based on an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within the mesh network via an established parent node, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate; determining, at the first node based on the first combined accumulated message success rate, that a search for a different parent node should be performed; in response to determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed, at the first node, performing one or more communication operations to discover a plurality of nearby nodes; computing, at the first node, one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates that are based on respective accumulated uplink message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to the target destination within the mesh network via a respective nearby node of the plurality of nearby nodes, respective first offset values associated with the respective accumulated uplink message success rates, respective accumulated downlink message success rates associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the respective nearby node, and respective second offset values associated with the respective accumulated downlink message success rates; and based on the one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that the first combined accumulated message success rate is lower than a threshold amount.
2. The method of claim 2, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that the accumulated uplink message success rate is lower than a threshold amount.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, and the accumulated downlink message success rate, as offset by the second offset value.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, as offset by the first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, and the accumulated downlink message success rate, as offset by the second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: scaling the accumulated uplink message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated uplink message success rate; adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated uplink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated uplink message success rate; scaling the accumulated downlink message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated downlink message success rate; adding the second offset value to the scaled accumulated downlink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated downlink message success rate; and multiplying the offset accumulated uplink message success rate by the offset accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate comprises: scaling the accumulated uplink message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated uplink message success rate; adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated uplink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated uplink message success rate; scaling the accumulated downlink message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated downlink message success rate; adding the second offset value to the scaled accumulated downlink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated downlink message success rate; and multiplying the offset accumulated uplink message success rate by the offset accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that a respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with the established parent node; and selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that a second combined accumulated message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with the established parent node; and selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node; and transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate; and maintaining the established parent node.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no second combined accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with the established parent node; and maintaining the established parent node.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
10. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors at a first node device in a mesh network, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: in response to determining, based on an aggregate success rate, that a search for a different parent node device should be performed, the aggregate success rate being based on an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting data packets from the first node device to a target destination via a current parent node device to the first node device, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving data packets from the target destination via the current parent node device, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate: performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices; computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices; and based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device.
11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of: determining, at a first node, a first combined accumulated message success rate that is based on an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within a mesh network via an established parent node, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate; determining, at the first node based on the first combined accumulated message success rates, that a search for a different parent node should be performed; in response to determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed, at the first node, performing one or more communication operations to discover a plurality of nearby nodes; computing, at the first node, one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates that are based on respective accumulated uplink message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to the target destination within the mesh network via a respective nearby node of the plurality of nearby nodes. respective first offset values associated with the respective accumulated uplink message success rates, respective accumulated downlink message success rates associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the respective nearby node, and respective second offset values associated with the respective accumulated downlink message success rates; and based on the one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
11. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node device should be performed comprises determining that the aggregate success rate is lower than a threshold amount.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that the accumulated uplink message success rate is lower than a threshold amount.
12. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node device should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node device that has joined the mesh network has a higher aggregate success rate than the aggregate success rate.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises: determining respective comparison success rates from the respective second aggregate success rates for the plurality of candidate parent node devices; determining that a comparison success rate associated with at least one nearby node device is greater than a comparison success rate associated with the current parent node device; and selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11, wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining respective comparison message success rates from the one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates for the plurality of nearby nodes; determining that a comparison message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than a comparison message success rate associated with the established parent node; and selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10 wherein the current parent node device is included in the plurality of candidate parent node devices, and wherein maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises selecting the current parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
15. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device of the first node device comprises selecting the new parent node device and establishing a communication link with the new parent node device.
18. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 11 wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the new parent node and establishing a communication link with the new parent node.
16. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 10, wherein the operations further comprise, in response to selecting the new parent node device: establishing a connection with the new parent node device; and transmitting a message to the current parent node device to remove a communication link with the current parent node device.
17. A network device comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors causes the network device to perform operations comprising: determining that a first combined accumulated success rate indicates that a current parent to the network device should be changed, the first combined accumulated success rate being based on an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting messages from the network device to a destination device via the current parent, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving messages from the destination device via the current parent, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate; and in response to the determining: performing discovery operations to identify a set of potential parents for the network device in a mesh network; determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents; and based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device.
20. A system comprising: a memory that stores instructions, and a processor that is coupled to the memory and, when executing the instructions is configured to: determine, at a first node, a first combined accumulated message success rate that is based on an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination within a mesh network via an established parent node, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate; determine, at the first node, based on the first combined accumulated message success rates, that a search for a different parent node should be performed; in response to determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed, at the first node, perform one or more communication operations to discover a plurality of nearby nodes; compute, at the first node, one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates that are based on respective accumulated uplink message success rates associated with transmitting messages from the first node to the target destination within the mesh network via a respective nearby node of the plurality of nearby nodes. respective first offset values associated with the respective accumulated uplink message success rates, respective accumulated downlink message success rates associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the nearby node, and respective second offset values associated with the respective accumulated downlink message success rates; and based on the one or more respective second combined accumulated message success rates, select, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
18. The network device of claim 17, wherein determining that the first combined accumulated success rate indicates that the current parent to the network device should be changed comprises determining that the first combined accumulated success rate is below a threshold.
13. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 12, wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that the accumulated uplink message success rate is lower than a threshold amount.
19. The network device of claim 17, wherein determining that the first combined accumulated success rate indicates that the current parent to the network device should be changed comprises determining that a new potential parent that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated success rate than the first combined accumulated success rate.
20. The network device of claim 17, wherein the current parent is included in the set of potential parents.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
Claims 1-2, 4-6, 8-11, 13-15, 17-18, and 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2, 6-11, 13, 16, 18, 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the instant application are taught by patent ‘264 as set forth above.
Claim 3, 12, and 19 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 in view of in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1) further in view of Chirikove et al. (hereinafter Chir, US 2017/0105178 A1) further in view of Weizman et al. (hereinafter Weizman, US 2022/0014986 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Hou further discloses determining that a potential parent node of the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Therefore it can be determined that the combined accumulated message success rate one of node is higher than another. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication").
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 with Hou in order to incorporate determining that a potential parent node of the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
However claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264-Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Chir discloses determining that neighbor discovery should be performed when a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network (Chir: para.0046 “According to some embodiments, a duty cycle coordination process includes: neighbor discovery, dead end notification, neighbor duty cycle estimation, and duty cycle setting. This process may be triggered either during mesh network initialization (when nodes do not have any duty cycle configured), or whenever a new node joins the network (in this case the process can be performed locally for the affected part of the network and initiated by the new node). A mesh network is affected when a node moves within or leaves the mesh network.” Whenever a node enters or leaves the mesh network, neighbor discovery is initiated for the mesh).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou with Chir in order to incorporate determining that neighbor discovery should be performed when a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network, such that new parent nodes that have joined the network are considered.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of always having updated routes in a mesh network (Chir: para.0006).
However claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264-Hou-Chir does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Weizman discloses determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node has a higher link quality than the first link quality (Weizman: para.0024 “The controller 204 of the BLE stack node 112, and/or a current access node (e.g., access node 104) used for communicating with the remote device 114, is configured to determine that a link quality is less than a threshold, which indicates that the BLE stack node 112 should search for, or attempt to identify, a different access node (e.g., a next access node, such as access node 106, that has a greater link quality than the current access node 104) to communicate with the remote device 114.” Para.0029 “The BLE stack node 112 is configured to identify the next access node responsive to the parameters in the candidate search response message from the remote device 114. For example, the next access node is one of the access nodes 106-110 that has a greater link quality (e.g., a link quality above the link quality threshold) with the remote device 114 than the current access node 104. In another example, the next access node is one of the access nodes 106-110 that has a link quality with the remote device 114 that is at least a threshold amount greater than the current access node 104.” It is determined that a search for a new parent should be initiated by the link quality being below a threshold, however it searches for a new parent that has at least a threshold amount greater than the current link. Therefore if it detects a node that is greater than the current link quality, however it is not greater than the threshold, the system would determine to keep searching for a new parent.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264-Hou-Chir with Weizman in order to incorporate determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node has a higher link quality than the first link quality, such that when determining to search for a new parent, the system continues to determine to search for a new parent if the new parent is greater than a threshold amount.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of only switching when the new parent is greater than the current by a threshold amount in order to make the switch worth the cost (Kamp: para.0012 prevents the node from wasted power in selecting a new parent. Weizman: para.0029-0030).
Regarding Claim 12, 19 it does not teach nor further define over the limitations of claim 3, therefore the rejection of claim 3 applies equally as well to that of claim 12 and 19.
Claim 7 and 16 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 in view of Chan (US 2014/0016544 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 does not explicitly disclose in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node; and transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node.
Chan discloses in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node (Chan: para.0041 “If the parent is found, the ZMD 603 may resume the communication; however, if the parent is not found, the ZMD 603 shall start the active scan 606 to find a new ZMH to join the network. In this example, ZMH A 602 is found and the ZMD 603 joins the new parent 607 ZMH A 602.” The node may select a new parent and join the parent, i.e. establish a connection.); and
transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node (Chan: para.0042 “After the ZMD 603 has joined the new parent 602 successfully, it sends a request command, MAP-MM-AltPart.request, 613 to the old parent 630 via ZMH A 602 to inform the old parent 630 it has joined a new parent. The request command 613 contains the formerly assigned short address 614 and the extended address 615 of the ZMD 603. When the old parent 630 has received the request command 620, it will release the short address and pending data of the ZMD 603, and replies with the confirmation command, MAP-MM-AltPart.confirm 623.” Para.0044 “After the old parent 702 has released the short address and pending data of the child 709, the old parent sends a MAP-AM-DB-Remove.request 712 command to the ZC 701 to remove the record of the child from the database.” The node 603 sends to the old parent that it has joined a new parent, such that the old parent releases the address of node 603).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,264 with Chan in order to incorporate in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node; and transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of proper network operations by maintaining current network connections (Chan: para.0004).
Regarding Claim 16, it does not teach nor further define over the limitations of claim 10, therefore the rejection of claim 10 applies equally as well to that of claim 16.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6, 9-11, 14, 17-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamp et al. (hereinafter Kamp, US 2019/0174389 A1) in view of Srikrishna et al. (hererinafter Sri, US 2008/0205420 A1) in view of Yu et al. (hereinafter Yu, US 2019/0097754 A1) in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Kamp discloses A method comprising: in response to determining, at a first node in a mesh network (Kamp: Fig.1, para.0024-0025 “In FIG. 1 a wireless mesh network 100 is shown. It comprises a node 110, such as a sensor node, which communicates through a parent node 120 with a further node 130, such as a collector node.” node 110 in mesh network 100) and based on a first combined accumulated message success rate, that a search for a different parent node should be performed (Kamp: para.0011 “The method concludes in the node selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria. This is performed only when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. is lower than, greater than or reaches a specific number such as ‘for 90% or less of the messages for which an acknowledgement is expected, an acknowledgement is received’ or ‘three acknowledgements in a row are missing’). Thus, as long as reliability of the parent node is sufficient, the node makes use of the parent node. When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.” When the reliability falls below a threshold, i.e a percentage of successful messages to acknowledgments falls below a threshold, a search for a new parent is initiated.),
the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination via an established parent node (Kamp: para.0009-0010 “The selecting of a parent node, through which the node will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, is based on first selection criteria. … The method further comprises the node sending one or more messages destined for at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the parent node. …Acknowledgements are received for all, certain or some messages from the further node when the message has arrived…. Calculating the reliability indicator of the parent node is performed by the node through polling the parent node to determine the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received from the further node(s) the messages were destined for. Typically, the node will receive the acknowledgement messages from the parent node and perform the relevant calculations. The ratio of messages expected, e.g. based on the number of messages sent, versus the number of acknowledgements received is an example of such a reliability indicator.” A combined accumulated message success rate of transmission to the destination via the parent node is determined, i.e. a ratio of number of messages sent and acknowledgements received.),
performing, at the first node, one or more communication operations to discover a plurality of nearby nodes (Kamp: para.001 “When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.”, para.0012 “This is advantageous as it prevents the node from repeatedly selecting a new parent node, thereby increasing power consumption of the node as the process of searching and selecting a parent node can impose a considerable power consumption.” The node searches for, i.e. discovers, nodes that can operate as a parent node.)
computing, at the first node, respective signal strengths associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” The node determines the signal strengths for each parent, and exclude the lowest reliability parent from selection, i.e. low success rate of message transmission); and
based on the respective signal strengths, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” Based on the reliability indicator, i.e message success rate, and signal strength a new parent is selected.).
However, Kamp does not explicitly disclose the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate: computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes; based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
Sri discloses an accumulated uplink message success rate associated with transmitting messages from the first node to a target destination via an established parent node (Sri: para.0047 “A second upstream data path 444 can be assigned a quality value of 40% based upon the quality values (40% and 50%) of the upstream links within the upstream data path 444, or the second upstream data path 444 can be assigned an overall quality value of 20% based upon the product of the quality values.” Accumulated uplink message success rate of 444 to the GW via AN 424)
an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node (Sri: para.0046 “A second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 90% based upon the worst case quality values (90% and 90%) of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448, or the second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 81% based upon the product of the quality values of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448.” Accumulated downlink message success rate 448 of 90 via AN 424).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate an accumulated downlink message success rate associated with receiving messages from the target destination via the established parent node.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri does not explicitly disclose the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink message success rate, a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink message success rate: computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes; based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
Yu discloses a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path)
a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri with Yu in order to incorporate a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, and apply this concept to each measurement of an uplink and downlink message success rate in Sri, such that network randomness is accounted for each measurement.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy in packet loss measurements (Yu: para.0268-0269).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate; computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes; based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node.
Hou discloses the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate (Hou: para.0082 “The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA.” a combined accumulated message success rate of a product of uplink and downlink success rates is calculated.);
computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes (Hou: para.0080 "When confirming that an RF function is enabled, the proxy coordination device may broadcast a DIO packet in a single-hop mode or a multicast mode, and adds a value of link overheads of the proxy coordination device to the DIO packet. In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. " para.0081 "the link quality parameter may include any one or more of the following: a proxy communication rate (Proxy Communication Rate) para.0082 "A length of a field Proxy Communication Rate is 1 byte, and a value domain thereof is 0-100. The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA. the Station Device 390 receives a plurality of DIO packets from different proxy coordination devices. Each DIO packet contains a proxy communication rate field that is a product of success rates between the PCO and the STA in both directions. These values are used by the station device to select a new parent in the mesh network, and is associated to transmitting/receiving messages to other nodes via this parent node. para.0073 defines PCO to be proxy coordination devices and STA to be station devices. This occurs for each proxy coordination device that the station device can select as a parent, therefore occurs for a second proxy coordination device such as one of 320-340 in Fig. 3.);
based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication") or maintaining the established parent node.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate and computing, at the first node, respective second combined accumulated message success rates associated with respective nodes of the plurality of nearby nodes; based on the respective second combined accumulated message success rates, selecting, at the first node, a new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node, such that the individual uplink and downlink message success rates calculated in Sri are modified by the offsets for each path in Yu, and combined into a single combined accumulated message success rate, and that these values for each potential parent are used for selection in Kamp in addition to signal strength, as the initial qualifying condition for reselection was a success rate it would be obvious to consider the success rates of new potential parent nodes.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 2, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
Kamp further discloses wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that the first combined accumulated message success rate is lower than a threshold amount (Kamp: para.0011 “The method concludes in the node selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria. This is performed only when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. is lower than, greater than or reaches a specific number such as ‘for 90% or less of the messages for which an acknowledgement is expected, an acknowledgement is received’ or ‘three acknowledgements in a row are missing’). Thus, as long as reliability of the parent node is sufficient, the node makes use of the parent node. When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.” When the reliability falls below a threshold, i.e a percentage of successful messages to acknowledgments falls below a threshold of 90%, a search for a new parent is initiated.).
Regarding Claim 4, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
Kamp further discloses wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on the accumulated uplink message success rate (Kamp: para.0009-0010 “The selecting of a parent node, through which the node will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, is based on first selection criteria. … The method further comprises the node sending one or more messages destined for at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the parent node. …Acknowledgements are received for all, certain or some messages from the further node when the message has arrived…. Calculating the reliability indicator of the parent node is performed by the node through polling the parent node to determine the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received from the further node(s) the messages were destined for. Typically, the node will receive the acknowledgement messages from the parent node and perform the relevant calculations. The ratio of messages expected, e.g. based on the number of messages sent, versus the number of acknowledgements received is an example of such a reliability indicator.” A combined accumulated message success rate of transmission to the destination via the parent node is determined, i.e. a ratio of number of messages sent and acknowledgements received.).
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, and the accumulated downlink message success rate, as offset by the second offset value.
Sri discloses the accumulated uplink message success rate (Sri: para.0047 “A second upstream data path 444 can be assigned a quality value of 40% based upon the quality values (40% and 50%) of the upstream links within the upstream data path 444, or the second upstream data path 444 can be assigned an overall quality value of 20% based upon the product of the quality values.” Accumulated uplink message success rate of 444 to the GW via AN 424) and
the accumulated downlink message success rate (Sri: para.0046 “A second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 90% based upon the worst case quality values (90% and 90%) of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448, or the second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 81% based upon the product of the quality values of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448.” Accumulated downlink message success rate 448 of 90 via AN 424)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate the accumulated uplink message success rate andthe accumulated downlink message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri does not explicitly disclose wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, and the accumulated downlink message success rate, as offset by the second offset value.
Yu discloses an accumulated message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path)
a second accumulated message success rate, as offset by the second offset value (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri with Yu in order to incorporate an accumulated message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, a second accumulated message success rate, as offset by the second offset value and apply this concept to each measurement of an uplink and downlink message success rate in Sri, such that network randomness is accounted for each measurement.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy in packet loss measurements (Yu: para.0268-0269).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, as offset by the first offset value, and the accumulated downlink message success rate, as offset by the second offset value.
Hou discloses wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, and the accumulated downlink message success rate (Hou: para.0082 “The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA.” a combined accumulated message success rate of a product of uplink and downlink success rates is calculated.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate wherein the first combined accumulated message success rate is determined based on a product of the accumulated uplink message success rate, and the accumulated downlink message success rate such that the individual uplink and downlink message success rates calculated in Sri are modified by the offsets for each path in Yu, and combined into a single combined accumulated message success rate by a product of the uplink and downlink values.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 5, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
Kamp further discloses the accumulated uplink message success rate(Kamp: para.0009-0010 “The selecting of a parent node, through which the node will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, is based on first selection criteria. … The method further comprises the node sending one or more messages destined for at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the parent node. …Acknowledgements are received for all, certain or some messages from the further node when the message has arrived…. Calculating the reliability indicator of the parent node is performed by the node through polling the parent node to determine the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received from the further node(s) the messages were destined for. Typically, the node will receive the acknowledgement messages from the parent node and perform the relevant calculations. The ratio of messages expected, e.g. based on the number of messages sent, versus the number of acknowledgements received is an example of such a reliability indicator.” A combined accumulated message success rate of transmission to the destination via the parent node is determined, i.e. a ratio of number of messages sent and acknowledgements received.)
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: scaling the accumulated uplink message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated uplink message success rate; adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated uplink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated uplink message success rate; scaling the accumulated downlink message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated downlink message success rate; adding the second offset value to the scaled accumulated downlink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated downlink message success rate; and multiplying the offset accumulated uplink message success rate by the offset accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Sri discloses the accumulated uplink message success rate (Sri: para.0047 “A second upstream data path 444 can be assigned a quality value of 40% based upon the quality values (40% and 50%) of the upstream links within the upstream data path 444, or the second upstream data path 444 can be assigned an overall quality value of 20% based upon the product of the quality values.” Accumulated uplink message success rate of 444 to the GW via AN 424) and
the accumulated downlink message success rate (Sri: para.0046 “A second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 90% based upon the worst case quality values (90% and 90%) of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448, or the second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 81% based upon the product of the quality values of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448.” Accumulated downlink message success rate 448 of 90 via AN 424)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate the accumulated uplink message success rate andthe accumulated downlink message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri does not explicitly disclose wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: scaling the accumulated uplink message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated uplink message success rate; adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated uplink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated uplink message success rate; scaling the accumulated downlink message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated downlink message success rate; adding the second offset value to the scaled accumulated downlink message success rate to determine an offset accumulated downlink message success rate; and multiplying the offset accumulated uplink message success rate by the offset accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Yu discloses scaling the accumulated message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” para.0249 “These leftover packets are relocated to the remaining N′−N*paths by using their BWPRn as weights.” when estimating the quality of each path, including packet loss, of K(n), it is scaled by 1/total weight as see in the equation below para.0251.);
adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated message success rate to determine an offset accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path and this extra redundancy is added to the calculated K(n) for each path);
scaling a second accumulated message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a second scaled accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” para.0249 “These leftover packets are relocated to the remaining N′−N*paths by using their BWPRn as weights.” when estimating the quality of each path, including packet loss, of K(n), it is scaled by 1/total weight as see in the equation below para.0251. This can be done for a second path.);
adding the second offset value to the second scaled accumulated message success rate to determine a second offset accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path and this extra redundancy is added to the calculated K(n) for the second path)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri with Yu in order to incorporate scaling the accumulated message success rate by a first scaling factor to determine a scaled accumulated message success rate; adding the first offset value to the scaled accumulated message success rate to determine an offset accumulated message success rate; scaling a second accumulated message success rate by a second scaling factor to determine a second scaled accumulated message success rate; adding the second offset value to the second scaled accumulated message success rate to determine a second offset accumulated message success rate, and apply this concept to the uplink and downlink message success rates.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy in packet loss measurements (Yu: para.0268-0269).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: multiplying the offset accumulated uplink message success rate by the offset accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Hou discloses wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: multiplying the accumulated uplink message success rate by the accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate (Hou: para.0082 “The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA.” a combined accumulated message success rate of a product of uplink and downlink success rates is calculated.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate wherein determining the first combined accumulated message success rate further comprises: multiplying the accumulated uplink message success rate by the accumulated downlink message success rate to determine the first combined accumulated message success rate and apply this concept to the offset accumulated uplink message success rate and the offset accumulated downlink message success rate as established in Kamp-Sri-Yu.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 6, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
Kamp further discloses wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” Based on the reliability indicator, i.e message success rate, and signal strength a new parent is selected.).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose determining that a respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with the established parent node.
Hou discloses determining that a respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with another parent node (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Therefore it can be determined that the combined accumulated message success rate one of node is higher than another. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication").
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate determining that a respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with at least one nearby node is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate associated with another parent node, and apply this concept to Kamp that already measures an unreliable success rate when determining to select a new parent node, such that the new parent node has a better success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 9, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes.
Sri discloses wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes (Sri: para.0055 "The access node then selects an optimal data path to a gateway based upon the upstream link qualities and downstream link qualities of all available data paths. Fig. 4 para.0049 "The first access node 426 selects a data path to the gateway 410 based upon the quality values of all the available downstream and upstream data paths. The first access node will probably select the data path through the third access node 424 rather than the data path through the second access node 422 because the data path through the third access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 40% (assuming a worst case link analysis for path quality determination), whereas the data path through the second access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 30%. " it can be seen in fig. 4 combined uplink for AN 424 40 and combined uplink for node 322 is 30. It is obvious that the previous path chosen can via either of the AN 422 or 424 used in the previous transmission can still be the highest success rate in the next iteration and selected).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate wherein the established parent node is included in the plurality of nearby nodes, and wherein maintaining the established parent node comprises selecting the established parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes, such that if a better node is not found in Kamp, the original node may be maintained.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
Regarding Claim 10, Kamp discloses One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors at a first node device in a mesh network (Kamp: para.0001 “reporting from a node, via a parent node, to a further node in a wireless mesh network.”, para.0007 program product para.0018 processor), cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
in response to determining, based on an aggregate success rate, that a search for a different parent node device should be performed (Kamp: para.0011 “The method concludes in the node selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria. This is performed only when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. is lower than, greater than or reaches a specific number such as ‘for 90% or less of the messages for which an acknowledgement is expected, an acknowledgement is received’ or ‘three acknowledgements in a row are missing’). Thus, as long as reliability of the parent node is sufficient, the node makes use of the parent node. When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.” When the reliability falls below a threshold, i.e a percentage of successful messages to acknowledgments falls below a threshold, the aggregate success rate, a search for a new parent is initiated.),
the aggregate success rate being based on an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting data packets from the first node device to a target destination via a current parent node device to the first node device (Kamp: para.0009-0010 “The selecting of a parent node, through which the node will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, is based on first selection criteria. … The method further comprises the node sending one or more messages destined for at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the parent node. …Acknowledgements are received for all, certain or some messages from the further node when the message has arrived…. Calculating the reliability indicator of the parent node is performed by the node through polling the parent node to determine the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received from the further node(s) the messages were destined for. Typically, the node will receive the acknowledgement messages from the parent node and perform the relevant calculations. The ratio of messages expected, e.g. based on the number of messages sent, versus the number of acknowledgements received is an example of such a reliability indicator.” An aggregate message success rate of transmission to the destination via the parent node is determined, i.e. a ratio of number of messages sent and acknowledgements received back to the initial node.),
performing a discovery operation to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices (Kamp: para.001 “When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.”, para.0012 “This is advantageous as it prevents the node from repeatedly selecting a new parent node, thereby increasing power consumption of the node as the process of searching and selecting a parent node can impose a considerable power consumption.” The node searches for, i.e. discovers, nodes that can operate as a parent node.)
computing respective signal strengths associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” The node determines the signal strengths for each parent, and exclude the lowest reliability parent from selection, i.e. low success rate of message transmission); and
based on the respective signal strengths, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” Based on the reliability indicator, i.e message success rate, and signal strength a new parent is selected.).
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving data packets from the target destination via the current parent node device, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate: performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices; computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices; and based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device.
Sri discloses an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting data packets from the first node device to a target destination via a current parent node device to the first node device (Sri: para.0047 “A second upstream data path 444 can be assigned a quality value of 40% based upon the quality values (40% and 50%) of the upstream links within the upstream data path 444, or the second upstream data path 444 can be assigned an overall quality value of 20% based upon the product of the quality values.” Accumulated uplink message success rate of 444 to the GW via AN 424)
an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving data packets from the target destination via the current parent node device (Sri: para.0046 “A second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 90% based upon the worst case quality values (90% and 90%) of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448, or the second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 81% based upon the product of the quality values of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448.” Accumulated downlink message success rate 448 of 90 via AN 424).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting data packets from the first node device to a target destination via a current parent node device to the first node device and an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving data packets from the target destination via the current parent node device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri does not explicitly disclose a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate: performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices; computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices; and based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device.
Yu discloses a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path)
a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri with Yu in order to incorporate a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, and apply this concept to each measurement of an uplink and downlink message success rate in Sri, such that network randomness is accounted for each measurement.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy in packet loss measurements (Yu: para.0268-0269).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose the first aggregate success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate; performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices; computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices; and based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device.
Hou discloses the first aggregate success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate (Hou: para.0082 “The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA.” a combined accumulated message success rate of a product of uplink and downlink success rates is calculated.);
performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices (Hou: para.0080 "When confirming that an RF function is enabled, the proxy coordination device may broadcast a DIO packet in a single-hop mode or a multicast mode, and adds a value of link overheads of the proxy coordination device to the DIO packet. In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network.” para.0081 "the link quality parameter may include any one or more of the following: a proxy communication rate (Proxy Communication Rate)… In a PLC-IoT network, the three parameters enumerated above are in a discover list (MMeDiscoverNodeList) packet periodically sent by the proxy coordination device (that is, a PCO) in a PLC link." a plurality of nearby nodes, proxy coordination devices, are discovered during this process such as via a periodically sent MMeDiscoverNodeList packet, i.e. the discovery protocol.);
computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices (Hou: para.0080 "When confirming that an RF function is enabled, the proxy coordination device may broadcast a DIO packet in a single-hop mode or a multicast mode, and adds a value of link overheads of the proxy coordination device to the DIO packet. In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. " para.0081 "the link quality parameter may include any one or more of the following: a proxy communication rate (Proxy Communication Rate) para.0082 "A length of a field Proxy Communication Rate is 1 byte, and a value domain thereof is 0-100. The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA. the Station Device 390 receives a plurality of DIO packets from different proxy coordination devices. Each DIO packet contains a proxy communication rate field that is a product of success rates between the PCO and the STA in both directions. These values are used by the station device to select a new parent in the mesh network, and is associated to transmitting/receiving messages to other nodes via this parent node. para.0073 defines PCO to be proxy coordination devices and STA to be station devices. This occurs for each proxy coordination device that the station device can select as a parent, therefore occurs for a second proxy coordination device such as one of 320-340 in Fig. 3.);
based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication") or maintaining the established parent node.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate the first aggregate success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate; performing a discovery protocol to identify a plurality of candidate parent node devices; computing respective second aggregate success rates associated with respective node devices of the plurality of candidate parent node devices; and based on the respective second aggregate success rates, selecting a new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as a parent node device for the first node device, such that the individual uplink and downlink message success rates calculated in Sri are modified by the offsets for each path in Yu, and combined into a single combined accumulated message success rate, and that these values for each potential parent are used for selection in Kamp in addition to signal strength, as the initial qualifying condition for reselection was a success rate it would be obvious to consider the success rates of new potential parent nodes.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 17, Kamp discloses A network device (Kamp: Fig.1, para.0024-0025 “In FIG. 1 a wireless mesh network 100 is shown. It comprises a node 110, such as a sensor node, which communicates through a parent node 120 with a further node 130, such as a collector node.” node 110 in mesh network 100) comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors causes the network device to perform operations (Kamp: para.0001 “reporting from a node, via a parent node, to a further node in a wireless mesh network.”, para.0007 program product para.0018 processor) comprising:
determining that a first combined accumulated success rate indicates that a current parent to the network device should be changed (Kamp: para.0011 “The method concludes in the node selecting a new parent node, based on second selection criteria. This is performed only when the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold (e.g. is lower than, greater than or reaches a specific number such as ‘for 90% or less of the messages for which an acknowledgement is expected, an acknowledgement is received’ or ‘three acknowledgements in a row are missing’). Thus, as long as reliability of the parent node is sufficient, the node makes use of the parent node. When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.” When the reliability falls below a threshold, i.e a percentage of successful messages to acknowledgments falls below a threshold, a search for a new parent is initiated.),
the first combined accumulated success rate being based on an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting messages from the network device to a destination device via the current parent (Kamp: para.0009-0010 “The selecting of a parent node, through which the node will communicate with one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network, is based on first selection criteria. … The method further comprises the node sending one or more messages destined for at least one of the one or more further nodes in the wireless mesh network via the parent node. …Acknowledgements are received for all, certain or some messages from the further node when the message has arrived…. Calculating the reliability indicator of the parent node is performed by the node through polling the parent node to determine the number of messages for which an acknowledgement has been received from the further node(s) the messages were destined for. Typically, the node will receive the acknowledgement messages from the parent node and perform the relevant calculations. The ratio of messages expected, e.g. based on the number of messages sent, versus the number of acknowledgements received is an example of such a reliability indicator.” A combined accumulated message success rate of transmission to the destination via the parent node is determined, i.e. a ratio of number of messages sent and acknowledgements received.),
and in response to the determining: performing discovery operations to identify a set of potential parents for the network device in a mesh network (Kamp: para.001 “When the reliability indicator is indicative of a parent node being unreliable, the node searches for another node to act as parent node.”, para.0012 “This is advantageous as it prevents the node from repeatedly selecting a new parent node, thereby increasing power consumption of the node as the process of searching and selecting a parent node can impose a considerable power consumption.” The node searches for, i.e. discovers, nodes that can operate as a parent node.);
determining respective signal strengths for respective network devices in the set of potential parents (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” The node determines the signal strengths for each parent, and exclude the lowest reliability parent from selection, i.e. low success rate of message transmission); and
based on the signal strengths, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device (Kamp: para.0033 “When the reliability indicator exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as when it drops below a percentage of messages acknowledged versus messages sent for which acknowledgement is expected, the node will start the process of selecting 340 a new parent node. This selection is done based on second selection criteria. An example of these second selection criteria is the selection of the node, capable of acting as a parent node, with the greatest signal strength (as measured by the node) however excluding the parent node with the low reliability indicator from the list of nodes to select from. The first and second selection criteria are, in an embodiment, different criteria. Although the wording first selection criteria and second selection criteria are used, this does not exclude that the first and/or second selection criteria comprise single criteria.” Para.0010 “When an acknowledgement is expected for each message sent and after ten messages only three acknowledgements have been received, a reliability indicator of e.g. 30%, low or <50% can be determined. As further examples, the total number of missing acknowledgements, the number of acknowledgements missing sequentially, etc. can be the basis for calculating the reliability indicator.” Based on the reliability indicator, i.e message success rate, and signal strength a new parent is selected.).
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving messages from the destination device via the current parent, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate; determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents; and based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device.
Sri discloses an accumulated uplink success rate associated with transmitting messages from the network device to a destination device via the current parent (Sri: para.0047 “A second upstream data path 444 can be assigned a quality value of 40% based upon the quality values (40% and 50%) of the upstream links within the upstream data path 444, or the second upstream data path 444 can be assigned an overall quality value of 20% based upon the product of the quality values.” Accumulated uplink message success rate of 444 to the GW via AN 424)
an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving messages from the destination device via the current parent (Sri: para.0046 “A second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 90% based upon the worst case quality values (90% and 90%) of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448, or the second downstream data path 448 can be assigned a quality value of 81% based upon the product of the quality values of the downstream links within the downstream data path 448.” Accumulated downlink message success rate 448 of 90 via AN 424).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate an accumulated downlink success rate associated with receiving messages from the destination device via the current parent.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri does not explicitly disclose the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate, a first offset value associated with the accumulated uplink success rate, and a second offset value associated with the accumulated downlink success rate; determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents; and based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device.
Yu discloses a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path)
a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate (Yu: para.0185 “A path predictor that predicts the quality (e.g., latency, bandwidth, packet loss) of each path.” para.0268-0269 “In addition, network randomness also implies that the estimation on the quality of the paths (e.g., packet loss, STT, bandwidth) may not be accurate. Therefore, it is beneficial to use “extra redundancy” to compensate for estimation offset... In one embodiment, after K(n) is calculated based on the estimation of the path quality, extra redundancy may be added to compensate for estimation offset by further increasing K(n).” when estimating the quality of a path, including packet loss, an offset is applied to account for network randomness for each path).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri with Yu in order to incorporate a first offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, a second offset value associated with the accumulated message success rate, and apply this concept to each measurement of an uplink and downlink message success rate in Sri, such that network randomness is accounted for each measurement.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy in packet loss measurements (Yu: para.0268-0269).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate, determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents; and based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device.
Hou discloses the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate (Hou: para.0082 “The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA.” a combined accumulated message success rate of a product of uplink and downlink success rates is calculated.);
determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents (Hou: para.0080 "When confirming that an RF function is enabled, the proxy coordination device may broadcast a DIO packet in a single-hop mode or a multicast mode, and adds a value of link overheads of the proxy coordination device to the DIO packet. In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. " para.0081 "the link quality parameter may include any one or more of the following: a proxy communication rate (Proxy Communication Rate) para.0082 "A length of a field Proxy Communication Rate is 1 byte, and a value domain thereof is 0-100. The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA. the Station Device 390 receives a plurality of DIO packets from different proxy coordination devices. Each DIO packet contains a proxy communication rate field that is a product of success rates between the PCO and the STA in both directions. These values are used by the station device to select a new parent in the mesh network, and is associated to transmitting/receiving messages to other nodes via this parent node. para.0073 defines PCO to be proxy coordination devices and STA to be station devices. This occurs for each proxy coordination device that the station device can select as a parent, therefore occurs for a second proxy coordination device such as one of 320-340 in Fig. 3.);
based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication") or maintaining the established parent node.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate the first combined accumulated message success rate being based on both an accumulated uplink message success rate and an accumulated downlink message success rate, determining respective second combined accumulated success rates for respective network devices in the set of potential parents; and based on the respective second combined accumulated success rates, selecting a new parent from the set of potential parents or retaining the current parent as a parent to the network device, such that the individual uplink and downlink message success rates calculated in Sri are modified by the offsets for each path in Yu, and combined into a single combined accumulated message success rate, and that these values for each potential parent are used for selection in Kamp in addition to signal strength, as the initial qualifying condition for reselection was a success rate it would be obvious to consider the success rates of new potential parent nodes.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
Regarding Claim 14, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 10 as set forth above.
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose wherein the current parent node device is included in the plurality of candidate parent node devices, and wherein maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises selecting the current parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
Sri discloses wherein the current parent node device is included in the plurality of candidate parent node devices, and wherein maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises selecting the current parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices (Sri: para.0055 "The access node then selects an optimal data path to a gateway based upon the upstream link qualities and downstream link qualities of all available data paths. Fig. 4 para.0049 "The first access node 426 selects a data path to the gateway 410 based upon the quality values of all the available downstream and upstream data paths. The first access node will probably select the data path through the third access node 424 rather than the data path through the second access node 422 because the data path through the third access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 40% (assuming a worst case link analysis for path quality determination), whereas the data path through the second access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 30%. " it can be seen in fig. 4 combined uplink for AN 424 40 and combined uplink for node 322 is 30. It is obvious that the previous path chosen can via either of the AN 422 or 424 used in the previous transmission can still be the highest success rate in the next iteration and selected).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate wherein the current parent node device is included in the plurality of candidate parent node devices, and wherein maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises selecting the current parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
Regarding Claims, 11, 18 and 20, they do not teach nor further define over the limitations of claim 2 and 9, therefore the rejection of claim 2 and 9 applies equally as well to that of claims 11, 18 and 20.
Claim(s) 3, 12, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamp et al. (hereinafter Kamp, US 2019/0174389 A1) in view of Srikrishna et al. (hererinafter Sri, US 2008/0205420 A1) in view of Yu et al. (hereinafter Yu, US 2019/0097754 A1) in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1) further in view of Chirikove et al. (hereinafter Chir, US 2017/0105178 A1) further in view of Weizman et al. (hereinafter Weizman, US 2022/0014986 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However Kamp does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Hou further discloses determining that a potential parent node of the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate (Hou: para. 0080 "In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. After accessing the network, the station device sends, to the proxy coordination device through an RF link, an IP packet to be sent to a central coordination device, and then the proxy coordination device adds data in the IP packet to a data packet, and sends the data packet to the central coordination device through a PLC link” based on the received link overhead information from each of the proxy coordination devices, the station device selects the new parent node. Therefore it can be determined that the combined accumulated message success rate one of node is higher than another. Para.0081-0082 describes the link overhead information to includes a combined message success rate "a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication").
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate determining that a potential parent node of the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Chir discloses determining that neighbor discovery should be performed when a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network (Chir: para.0046 “According to some embodiments, a duty cycle coordination process includes: neighbor discovery, dead end notification, neighbor duty cycle estimation, and duty cycle setting. This process may be triggered either during mesh network initialization (when nodes do not have any duty cycle configured), or whenever a new node joins the network (in this case the process can be performed locally for the affected part of the network and initiated by the new node). A mesh network is affected when a node moves within or leaves the mesh network.” Whenever a node enters or leaves the mesh network, neighbor discovery is initiated for the mesh).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou with Chir in order to incorporate determining that neighbor discovery should be performed when a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network, such that new parent nodes that have joined the network are considered.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of always having updated routes in a mesh network (Chir: para.0006).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou-Chir does not explicitly disclose wherein determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node that has joined the mesh network has a higher combined accumulated message success rate than the first combined accumulated message success rate.
Weizman discloses determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node has a higher link quality than the first link quality (Weizman: para.0024 “The controller 204 of the BLE stack node 112, and/or a current access node (e.g., access node 104) used for communicating with the remote device 114, is configured to determine that a link quality is less than a threshold, which indicates that the BLE stack node 112 should search for, or attempt to identify, a different access node (e.g., a next access node, such as access node 106, that has a greater link quality than the current access node 104) to communicate with the remote device 114.” Para.0029 “The BLE stack node 112 is configured to identify the next access node responsive to the parameters in the candidate search response message from the remote device 114. For example, the next access node is one of the access nodes 106-110 that has a greater link quality (e.g., a link quality above the link quality threshold) with the remote device 114 than the current access node 104. In another example, the next access node is one of the access nodes 106-110 that has a link quality with the remote device 114 that is at least a threshold amount greater than the current access node 104.” It is determined that a search for a new parent should be initiated by the link quality being below a threshold, however it searches for a new parent that has at least a threshold amount greater than the current link. Therefore if it detects a node that is greater than the current link quality, however it is not greater than the threshold, the system would determine to keep searching for a new parent. i.e. determining to search for a new parent node.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou-Chir with Weizman in order to incorporate determining that the search for the different parent node should be performed comprises determining that a new potential parent node has a higher link quality than the first link quality, such that when determining to search for a new parent, the system continues to determine to search for a new parent if the new parent is greater than a threshold amount.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of only switching when the new parent is greater than the current by a threshold amount in order to make the switch worth the cost (Kamp: para.0012 prevents the node from wasted power in selecting a new parent. Weizman: para.0029-0030).
Regarding Claim 12, 19 it does not teach nor further define over the limitations of claim 3, therefore the rejection of claim 3 applies equally as well to that of claim 12 and 19.
Claim(s) 7, 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamp et al. (hereinafter Kamp, US 2019/0174389 A1) in view of Srikrishna et al. (hererinafter Sri, US 2008/0205420 A1) in view of Yu et al. (hereinafter Yu, US 2019/0097754 A1) in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1) in view of Chan (US 2014/0016544 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou does not explicitly disclose in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node; and transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node.
Chan discloses in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node (Chan: para.0041 “If the parent is found, the ZMD 603 may resume the communication; however, if the parent is not found, the ZMD 603 shall start the active scan 606 to find a new ZMH to join the network. In this example, ZMH A 602 is found and the ZMD 603 joins the new parent 607 ZMH A 602.” The node may select a new parent and join the parent, i.e. establish a connection.); and
transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node (Chan: para.0042 “After the ZMD 603 has joined the new parent 602 successfully, it sends a request command, MAP-MM-AltPart.request, 613 to the old parent 630 via ZMH A 602 to inform the old parent 630 it has joined a new parent. The request command 613 contains the formerly assigned short address 614 and the extended address 615 of the ZMD 603. When the old parent 630 has received the request command 620, it will release the short address and pending data of the ZMD 603, and replies with the confirmation command, MAP-MM-AltPart.confirm 623.” Para.0044 “After the old parent 702 has released the short address and pending data of the child 709, the old parent sends a MAP-AM-DB-Remove.request 712 command to the ZC 701 to remove the record of the child from the database.” The node 603 sends to the old parent that it has joined a new parent, such that the old parent releases the address of node 603).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou with Chan in order to incorporate in response to selecting the new parent node: establishing a connection with the new parent node; and transmitting a message to the established parent node to remove a communication link with the established parent node.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of proper network operations by maintaining current network connections (Chan: para.0004).
Regarding Claim 15, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 10 as set forth above.
However while Kamp, Sri, Hou all disclose the selection and usage of the new parent node, they do not explicitly disclose actual the establishment of a connection, therefore Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device of the first node device comprises selecting the new parent node device and establishing a communication link with the new parent node device.
Chan discloses wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device of the first node device comprises selecting the new parent node device and establishing a communication link with the new parent node device (Chan: para.0039 “After the active scan procedure 504 has been completed, it will choose ZMH 502 as its parent and go through the join network procedures 505 according to the ZigBee specification. When the ZMD 503 has joined the network successfully, the ZMD 503 will send a MAP-AM-DB-Update.request 507, with its short address 508 and extended address 509 to the ZC 501, to inform the ZC to update the databse.” The node may select a new parent and join the parent, i.e. establish a connection.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou with Chan in order to incorporate wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device of the first node device comprises selecting the new parent node device and establishing a communication link with the new parent node device.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of proper network operations by maintaining current network connections (Chan: para.0004).
Regarding Claim 16, it does not teach nor further define over the limitations of claim 10, therefore the rejection of claim 10 applies equally as well to that of claim 16.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamp et al. (hereinafter Kamp, US 2019/0174389 A1) in view of Srikrishna et al. (hererinafter Sri, US 2008/0205420 A1) in view of Yu et al. (hereinafter Yu, US 2019/0097754 A1) in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1) in view of Watanabe et al. (hereinafter Watanabe).
Regarding Claim 8, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 1 as set forth above.
However Kamp does not explicitly discloses wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate; and maintaining the established parent node.
Sri discloses wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective second accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first accumulated message success rate (Sri: para.0055 "The access node then selects an optimal data path to a gateway based upon the upstream link qualities and downstream link qualities of all available data paths. Fig. 4 para.0049 "The first access node 426 selects a data path to the gateway 410 based upon the quality values of all the available downstream and upstream data paths. The first access node will probably select the data path through the third access node 424 rather than the data path through the second access node 422 because the data path through the third access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 40% (assuming a worst case link analysis for path quality determination), whereas the data path through the second access node includes upstream/downstream qualities of 90% and 30%. " it can be seen in fig. 4 combined uplink for AN 424 40 and combined uplink for node 322 is 30. It is obvious that the previous path chosen can via either of the AN 422 or 424 used in the previous transmission can still be the highest success rate in the next iteration).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp with Sri in order to incorporate wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective second accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first accumulated message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of optimal quality in communication based on selection of a path based on a combination of uplink and downlink success rates (Sri: para.0031).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu does not explicitly disclose wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective second combined accumulated message success rate associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is greater than the first combined accumulated message success rate; and maintaining the established parent node.
Hou discloses respective second combined accumulated message success rate and the first combined accumulated message success rate (Hou: para.0080 "When confirming that an RF function is enabled, the proxy coordination device may broadcast a DIO packet in a single-hop mode or a multicast mode, and adds a value of link overheads of the proxy coordination device to the DIO packet. In this way, a station device waiting for performing network access may compare values of link overheads of different proxy coordination devices, and select an optimal proxy coordination device (that is, a parent node) based on the values of the link overheads of the different proxy coordination devices to access a hybrid network. para.0081 "the link quality parameter may include any one or more of the following: a proxy communication rate (Proxy Communication Rate) para.0082 "A length of a field Proxy Communication Rate is 1 byte, and a value domain thereof is 0-100. The field Proxy Communication Rate is used to indicate a product of success rates of uplink and downlink communication between a STA sending an MMeDiscoverNodeList packet and a PCO of the STA. the Station Device 390 receives a plurality of DIO packets from different proxy coordination devices. Each DIO packet contains a proxy communication rate field that is a product of success rates between the PCO and the STA in both directions. These values are used by the station device to select a new parent in the mesh network, and is associated to transmitting/recciving messages to other nodes via this parent node. para.0073 defines PCO to be proxy coordination devices and STA to be station devices.)
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu with Hou in order to incorporate respective second combined accumulated message success rate and the first combined accumulated message success rate.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of transmitting less information during path selection, (Hou: para.0082).
However Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: and maintaining the established parent node.
Watanabe discloses wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective path metric associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is less than the first path metric (Watanabe: Fig. 32 step 864, 865, and 869 para.0442 " When the path metric value MI is less than the sum of the path metric value M3 and the threshold value HI (Step S865), the control unit 140 of the information processing device 100 selects the path corresponding to the current NextHop 342 (path metric value M1) (Step S869).” M2 and M3 are compared to M1, the current nexthops path metric, to see if M1 is still the smallest of the three paths.); and
maintaining the established parent node (Watanabe: para. 0442 " When the path metric value MI is less than the sum of the path metric value M3 and the threshold value H1 (Step S865), the control unit 140 of the information processing device 100 selects the path corresponding to the current NextHop 342 (path metric value M1) (Step S869).” if the current nexthop is determined to be the optimal node based on path metric comparison, the current nexthop is maintained.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou with Watanabe in order to incorporate wherein selecting the new parent node from the plurality of nearby nodes or maintaining the established parent node comprises: determining that no respective path metric associated with the plurality of nearby nodes is less than the first path metric; and maintaining the established parent node.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of selecting the optimal path in future transmissions (Watanabe: para.0443).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kamp et al. (hereinafter Kamp, US 2019/0174389 A1) in view of Srikrishna et al. (hererinafter Sri, US 2008/0205420 A1) in view of Yu et al. (hereinafter Yu, US 2019/0097754 A1) in view of Hou et al. (hereinafter Hou, US 2021/0007180 A1) in view of Dabirmoghaddam et al. (hereinafter Dabi, US 2015/0319629 A1).
Regarding Claim 16, Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou discloses claim 10 as set forth above.
However Kamp-Sri-Yu-Hou does not explicitly disclose wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises: determining respective comparison success rates from the respective second aggregate success rates for the plurality of candidate parent node devices; determining that a comparison success rate associated with at least one nearby node device is greater than a comparison success rate associated with the current parent node device; and selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
Dabi discloses wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises: determining respective comparison success rates from the respective second aggregate success rates for the plurality of candidate parent node devices (Dabi: para.0034 "For at least some embodiments, the estimated difference between the packet success rate of the present channel and the packet success rate of the adjacent channel is determined based on an established relationship between the determined difference in the measured signal quality over the present wireless channel and the measured signal quality over the adjacent channel, and the measured packet success rate of the present channel.” a difference in packet success rate is determined for adjacent nodes);
determining that a comparison success rate associated with at least one nearby node device is greater than a comparison success rate associated with the current parent node device (Dabi: para.0017 "For an embodiment, the access node selects the routing path based on an estimated quality parameter of available routing paths. Once selected, the access node maintains the selected routing path. However, as previously mentioned, wireless mesh networks are subjected to a number of possible interfering signals, and signal compromising disturbances. Therefore, the most desirable routing path at any given time is likely to change. Therefore, the access node 131 should monitor other available routing paths and channel selections while operating to maintain transmission of data over the presently selected routing path and channel selection.” para.0018 "Therefore, based on the packet success rate of received routing packets, the access nodes can select routing paths and channels” message success rates can be compared to each other for selection of a new node); and
selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices (Dabi: para.0017 "For an embodiment, the access node selects the routing path based on an estimated quality parameter of available routing paths. Once selected, the access node maintains the selected routing path. However, as previously mentioned, wireless mesh networks are subjected to a number of possible interfering signals, and signal compromising disturbances. Therefore, the most desirable routing path at any given time is likely to change. Therefore, the access node 131 should monitor other available routing paths and channel selections while operating to maintain transmission of data over the presently selected routing path and channel selection.” para.0018 "Therefore, based on the packet success rate of received routing packets, the access nodes can select routing paths and channels "over time the access node calculates metrics for each channel 1-N as sen in Fig. 2, and selects a new node based on these parameters, such as a difference between the present channel and cach other channel packet success rate.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine Kamp-Sri-Yu -Hou with Dabi in order to incorporate wherein selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices or maintaining the current parent node device as the parent node device for the first node device comprises: determining respective comparison success rates from the respective second aggregate success rates for the plurality of candidate parent node devices; determining that a comparison success rate associated with at least one nearby node device is greater than a comparison success rate associated with the current parent node device; and selecting the new parent node device from the plurality of candidate parent node devices.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine because of the expected benefit of improved accuracy when comparing packet success rates by normalizing packet success rates based on external factors (Dabi: para. 0024).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ren et al US 2007/0223451 A1 see para.0010, para.0055 and Fig. 5 that selects upstream nodes based on packet success rate.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUI H KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-8133. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-5 M-R, M-F alternating.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamal B Divecha can be reached at 5712725863. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EUI H KIM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2453
/KAMAL B DIVECHA/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2453