DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 14 November 2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9, 13-16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. US 2016/0295622 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Huang”). Note: Huang was cited by the applicant in the IDS received 14 November 2025.
As to claim 1, Huang teaches a first device (¶31; figures 1-2: device 104), comprising:
a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code (¶31; figure 2), the processing system configured to cause the first device to:
communicate via a first radio access technology (RAT) with a second device that is collocated with the first device (¶¶14-15 and 32-33; figures 1-2: communicate with proximal device 102 via Bluetooth for adaptive on-demand tethering (i.e., collocated)), wherein the first device is capable of communicating with a third device via a second RAT that is different from the first RAT (¶33; figures 1-2: capable of network connection via cellular and/or Wi-Fi with network device 108/service provider 110); and
transmit, via the first RAT, a message to the second device that is indicative of a first status of communications between the first device and the third device via the second RAT (¶¶15, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2: broadcast, via Bluetooth, an indication of device 104’s internet connection status/quality with network device 108/service provider 110 to device 102).
As to claim 2, Huang teaches the first device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
establish a connection with the third device via the second RAT, wherein the message indicating the first status of communications between the first device and the third device is based at least in part on establishing the connection between the first device and the third device (¶¶14-15, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 3, Huang teaches the first device of claim 2, wherein the message to the second device indicates that the first status of communications between the first device and the third device is a connected status (¶¶14-15, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 4, Huang teaches the first device of claim 2, wherein, to establish the connection with the third device, the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
authenticate with the third device based at least in part on an authentication key stored at one of the first device or the second device (¶¶14-16, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 5, Huang teaches the first device of claim 2, wherein the message is indicative that the second device is to refrain from establishing communications with the third device or is to terminate current communications with the third device (¶¶14-16, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 6, Huang teaches the first device of claim 1, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
refrain from establishing a connection with the third device via the second RAT, wherein the message indicating the first status of communication between the first device and the third device is based at least in part on an absence of the connection between the first device and the third device (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 7, Huang teaches the first device of claim 6, wherein refraining from establishing the connection with the third device is based at least in part on a battery status associated with the first device (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 8, Huang teaches the first device of claim 6, wherein the message to the second device indicates that the first status of communications between the first device and the third device is an unconnected status (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 9, Huang teaches the first device of claim 6, wherein the message is indicative that the second device is to establish communications with the third device or is to maintain current communications with the third device (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 13, Huang teaches a first device (¶31; figures 1-2: device 104), comprising:
a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code (¶31; figure 2), the processing system configured to cause the first device to:
communicate via a first radio access technology (RAT) with a second device that is collocated with the first device (¶¶14-15 and 32-33; figures 1-2: communicate with proximal device 102 via Bluetooth for adaptive on-demand tethering (i.e., collocated)), wherein the first device is capable of communicating with a third device via a second RAT that is different from the first RAT (¶33; figures 1-2: capable of network connection via cellular and/or Wi-Fi with network device 108/service provider 110);
receive, via the first RAT, a message from the second device that is indicative of a first status of communications between the second device and the third device via the second RAT (¶¶15, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2: receive broadcast, via Bluetooth, an indication of device 102’s internet connection status/quality with network device 108/service provider 110 from device 102); and
change a second status of communications between the first device and the third device via the second RAT based at least in part on reception of the message from the second device (¶¶15, 18, and 32-33; figures 1-2: manage tethering with device 102 and/or switch between device 102 and device 104 as being the device hosting the connection with the network device 108/service provider 110 via cellular or Wi-Fi communication based on the message).
As to claim 14, Huang teaches the first device of claim 13, wherein, to change the second status, the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
establish a connection with the third device via the second RAT based at least in part on the message indicating that the first status of communications between the second device and the third device is an unconnected status (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 15, Huang teaches the first device of claim 14, wherein,
to establish the connection with the third device, the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
authenticate with the third device based on an authentication key stored at one of the first device or the second device (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 16, Huang teaches the first device of claim 13, wherein,
to change the second status, the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to: disconnect from a connection with the third device via the second RAT based at least in part on the message indicating that the first status of communications between the second device and the third device is a connected status (¶¶14-18, and 32-33; figures 1-2).
As to claim 20, claim 20 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
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) 10-12 and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang in view of Hariharan et al. US 2021/0076434 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Hariharan”). Note: Hariharan was cited by the applicant in the IDS received 14 November 2025.
As to claim 10, Huang teaches the first device of claim 1.
Although Huang teaches “The first device of claim 1,” Huang does not explicitly disclose “the message comprises one or more ranging parameters”.
However, Hariharan teaches the message comprises one or more ranging parameters (¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Huang by including “the message comprises one or more ranging parameters” as taught by Hariharan because it provides Huang’s apparatus with the enhanced capability saving power (Hariharan, ¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
As to claim 11, Huang teaches the first device of claim 1.
Although Huang teaches “The first device of claim 1,” Huang does not explicitly disclose “the message…the third device”.
However, Hariharan teaches the message is a first message to the second device, and the processing system is further configured to cause the first device to:
transmit, via the first RAT and subsequent to transmission of the first message, a second message to the second device indicating a distance between the first device and the third device, or indicating a location of the third device, wherein the second message is transmitted in an absence of communications between the second device and the third device (¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Huang by including “the message…the third device” as taught by Hariharan because it provides Huang’s apparatus with the enhanced capability saving power (Hariharan, ¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
As to claim 12, Huang teaches the first device of claim 1.
Although Huang teaches “The first device of claim 1,” Huang does not explicitly disclose “the first RAT comprises a Bluetooth connection and the second RAT comprises an ultra-wide band connection”.
However, Hariharan teaches the first RAT comprises a Bluetooth connection and the second RAT comprises an ultra-wide band connection (¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the apparatus described in Huang by including “the first RAT comprises a Bluetooth connection and the second RAT comprises an ultra-wide band connection” as taught by Hariharan because it provides Huang’s apparatus with the enhanced capability saving power (Hariharan, ¶¶7-13, 92, 100, 120; figure 4).
As to claim 17, claim 17 is rejected the same way as claim 10.
As to claim 18, claim 18 is rejected the same way as claim 11.
As to claim 19, claim 19 is rejected the same way as claim 12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN T VAN ROIE whose telephone number is (571)270-0308. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm.
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/JUSTIN T VAN ROIE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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