DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Anderson et al., US2025/0287222 A1, and further in view of Macmullan et al., US2020/0260289 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Anderson teaches A method (Fig. 3), comprising: transmitting, by a wireless device to an Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) system, first information related to part number associated with Radiation Pattern Envelope (RPE) of an antenna of the wireless device, a position, and an orientation of the antenna (par. 0059; the method may include communicating, by a wireless access point of a wireless local area network to a management service, a request to operate a transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using a transmitter and a software-defined antenna of the wireless access point.); and receiving, by the wireless device from the AFC system, second information related to a radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna, wherein the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna is determined by the AFC system based on the received first information and a transmitting power of the wireless device (par. 0059; the method may include obtaining by the wireless access point from the management service, beam configuration information identifying parameters that the wireless access point is to utilize for operation of the transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using the transmitter and the software-defined antenna.).
Anderson fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Macmullan teaches adjusting, by the wireless device, at least one of the orientation, and the transmitting power based on the second information such that the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna does not overlap with radio frequency signal coverages of adjacent antennas of adjacent devices licensed by the AFC system (par. 0041 and 0053; The resulting coverage contour may be specified in a length 360 array with each point representing the coverage distance relative to the RLAN location in a particular angular direction, for example, with respect to a reference direction such as True North. The RLAN Impact Area can also be adjusted by adding an extra horizontal uncertainty to the coverage contour which was computed using the propagation model, as well as to use the RLAN Impact Area as its exclusion zone once that RLAN begins transmitting, and to prevent other RLANs whose exclusion zones overlap with that of the operating RLAN from operating co-channel to the RLAN. The AFC-authorized, transmitting RLAN may notify the AFC of its transmit frequency so the AFC could then allow RLANs with overlapping Impact Areas to each transmit using orthogonal frequency assignments, thereby minimizing RLAN-to-RLAN interference.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Anderson’s teachings with Macmullan’s teachings for the purpose of coordinating shared access to spectrum based on interference to at least some users of the shared spectrum (Macmullan, par. 0002).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Anderson further teaches further comprising: receiving information related to height of the antenna from a sensor on an antenna device of the wireless device on which the antenna is located (par. 0032); receiving information related to longitude and latitude of the antenna from a locator installed on a wireless access point of the wireless device (par. 0032); and determining the position of the antenna in three-dimensional space based on the information related to the height and the information related to the longitude and latitude (par. 0032).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Anderson further teaches further comprising: receiving information related to downtilt and azimuth of the antenna from a sensor on an antenna device of the wireless device on which the antenna is located (par. 0033); and determining the orientation of the antenna based on the downtilt and the azimuth (par. 0033).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Anderson further teaches wherein the AFC system is configured to obtain the radiation pattern envelope of the antenna in three-dimensional space based on the received serial number information, the position of the antenna and the orientation of the antenna, wherein the RF signal coverage of the antenna is determined based on the radiation pattern envelope of the antenna in three-dimensional space and the transmitting power of the wireless device (par. 0014).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Anderson further teaches wherein the wireless device further comprises a turntable, and an antenna device where the antenna is located is mounted on the turntable, wherein adjusting the orientation of the antenna comprises: sending an angle adjustment amount to the turntable to rotate the turntable to a specific position (par. 0039).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Anderson further teaches wherein the second information indicates the degree of coverage between the RF signal coverage of the antenna and the RF signal coverage of the adjacent antennas of the adjacent devices (par. 0039).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Macmullan further teaches wherein the antenna is mounted on an antenna device, the wireless device further comprises a wireless access point, and the antenna device and the wireless access point are electrically connected via an RF signal cable, the method further comprising: receiving an indication of a real transmitting power from the antenna device via the RF signal cable (par. 0040); and determining a loss of the RF signal cable based on a transmitting power at a transmitter of the wireless access point and the indication of the real transmitting power, wherein the transmitting power of the wireless device is also adjusted based on the loss of the RF signal cable (par. 0040). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Anderson’s teachings with Macmullan’s teachings for the purpose of coordinating shared access to spectrum based on interference to at least some users of the shared spectrum (Macmullan, par. 0002).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 11. Macmullan further teaches wherein the wireless device is a first wireless device, the method further comprising: obtaining information related to an adjustment angle of the first wireless device (par. 0050); and aligning a main lobe of a first antenna of the first wireless device with a main lobe of a second antenna of the second wireless device to be aligned with the first wireless device based on the adjustment angle (par. 0050). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Anderson’s teachings with Macmullan’s teachings for the purpose of coordinating shared access to spectrum based on interference to at least some users of the shared spectrum (Macmullan, par. 0002).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 8 and 18. Anderson further teaches wherein the adjustment angle is determined based on relative position information and relative orientation information between the first antenna of the first wireless device and the second antenna of the second wireless device (par. 0032).
Regarding claim 10, Anderson and Macmullan teach all the limitations in claims 9. Anderson further teaches wherein both the first wireless device and the second wireless device include an antenna device, wherein the antenna device includes a sensor configured to sense the orientation of the first antenna or the second antenna (par. 0032).
Regarding claim 11, Anderson teaches A wireless device (Fig. 4 item 400; a computing device 400 (e.g., wireless AP 220)) comprising: at least one processor (Fig. 4 item 402; processor(s) 402); and a memory coupled to the at least one processor (Fig. 4 item 404; one or more memory element(s) 404), the memory storing instructions to cause the at least one processor to: transmit, to an Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) system, first information related to part number associated with Radiation Pattern Envelope (RPE) of an antenna of the wireless device, a position, and an orientation of the antenna (par. 0059; the method may include communicating, by a wireless access point of a wireless local area network to a management service, a request to operate a transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using a transmitter and a software-defined antenna of the wireless access point.); and receive, from the AFC system, second information related to a radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna, wherein the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna is determined by the AFC system based on the received first information and a transmitting power of the wireless device (par. 0059; the method may include obtaining by the wireless access point from the management service, beam configuration information identifying parameters that the wireless access point is to utilize for operation of the transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using the transmitter and the software-defined antenna.).
Anderson fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Macmullan teaches adjust at least one of the orientation and/or the transmitting power based on the second information such that the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna does not overlap with radio frequency signal coverages of adjacent antennas of adjacent devices licensed by the AFC system (par. 0041 and 0053; The resulting coverage contour may be specified in a length 360 array with each point representing the coverage distance relative to the RLAN location in a particular angular direction, for example, with respect to a reference direction such as True North. The RLAN Impact Area can also be adjusted by adding an extra horizontal uncertainty to the coverage contour which was computed using the propagation model, as well as to use the RLAN Impact Area as its exclusion zone once that RLAN begins transmitting, and to prevent other RLANs whose exclusion zones overlap with that of the operating RLAN from operating co-channel to the RLAN. The AFC-authorized, transmitting RLAN may notify the AFC of its transmit frequency so the AFC could then allow RLANs with overlapping Impact Areas to each transmit using orthogonal frequency assignments, thereby minimizing RLAN-to-RLAN interference.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Anderson’s teachings with Macmullan’s teachings for the purpose of coordinating shared access to spectrum based on interference to at least some users of the shared spectrum (Macmullan, par. 0002).
Regarding claim 20, Anderson teaches A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a wireless device (par. 0072; operations as set forth herein may be implemented by logic encoded in one or more tangible media that is capable of storing instructions and/or digital information and may be inclusive of non-transitory tangible media and/or non-transitory computer readable storage media (e.g., embedded logic provided in: an ASIC, digital signal processing (DSP) instructions, software [potentially inclusive of object code and source code], etc.) for execution by one or more processor(s).), cause the wireless device to: transmit, to an Automatic Frequency Coordination (AFC) system, first information related to a position, an orientation and a part number of an antenna of a wireless device related to a Radiation Pattern Envelope (RPE) of the antenna (par. 0059; the method may include communicating, by a wireless access point of a wireless local area network to a management service, a request to operate a transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using a transmitter and a software-defined antenna of the wireless access point.); and receive, from the AFC system, second information related to a radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna, wherein the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna is determined by the AFC system based on the received first information and a transmitting power of the wireless device (par. 0059; the method may include obtaining by the wireless access point from the management service, beam configuration information identifying parameters that the wireless access point is to utilize for operation of the transmission beam to be produced by the wireless access point using the transmitter and the software-defined antenna.).
Anderson fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Macmullan teaches adjust at least one of the orientation and/or the transmitting power based on the second information such that the radio frequency signal coverage of the antenna does not overlap with radio frequency signal coverages of adjacent antennas of adjacent devices licensed by the AFC system (par. 0041 and 0053; The resulting coverage contour may be specified in a length 360 array with each point representing the coverage distance relative to the RLAN location in a particular angular direction, for example, with respect to a reference direction such as True North. The RLAN Impact Area can also be adjusted by adding an extra horizontal uncertainty to the coverage contour which was computed using the propagation model, as well as to use the RLAN Impact Area as its exclusion zone once that RLAN begins transmitting, and to prevent other RLANs whose exclusion zones overlap with that of the operating RLAN from operating co-channel to the RLAN. The AFC-authorized, transmitting RLAN may notify the AFC of its transmit frequency so the AFC could then allow RLANs with overlapping Impact Areas to each transmit using orthogonal frequency assignments, thereby minimizing RLAN-to-RLAN interference.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Anderson’s teachings with Macmullan’s teachings for the purpose of coordinating shared access to spectrum based on interference to at least some users of the shared spectrum (Macmullan, par. 0002).
Conclusion
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/AYODEJI O AYOTUNDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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