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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 5-11, 13-15, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Pennings (U.S. Patent Number: 12,241,970).
Consider claim 1; Pennings discloses a network entity for wireless communications, the network entity comprising:
at least one memory [“…computing system 805 that is representative of any system or collection of systems in which the various processes, programs, services, and scenarios disclosed herein may be implemented.” (col. 13, lines 37-40) “Computing system 805 includes, but is not limited to, storage system 810, processing system 830...” (col. 13, lines 52-53) “Processing system 830 is operatively coupled with storage system 810…” (col. 13, lines 55-56) “Examples of storage media include random access memory…” (col. 14, line 22)]; and
at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory [“…computing system 805 that is representative of any system or collection of systems in which the various processes, programs, services, and scenarios disclosed herein may be implemented.” (col. 13, lines 37-40) “Computing system 805 includes, but is not limited to, storage system 810, processing system 830...” (col. 13, lines 52-53) “Processing system 830 is operatively coupled with storage system 810…” (col. 13, lines 55-56) “Examples of storage media include random access memory…” (col. 14, line 22)] and configured to:
determine a group of wireless communication device radios of a plurality of wireless communication device radios for positioning a target device [“radar station 125 communicates with main satellite 101. The communication…sends a tasking request to main satellite 101… the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 31-39) “…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3)];
determine, based on criteria [“the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 35-39)], a communications pattern for the group of wireless communication device radios [“radar station 125 communicates with main satellite 101. The communication…sends a tasking request to main satellite 101… the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 31-39) “…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3)]; and
output [“radar station 125 communicates with main satellite 101. The communication…sends a tasking request to main satellite 101… the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 31-39)], for transmission to the group of wireless communication device radios [“Upon receiving tasking request from radar station 125, main satellite 101 communicates with each of the satellites in group of satellites 105 to relay the tasking request and perform coordination maneuvers.” (col. 7, lines 40-43) “…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3)], an indication of the communications pattern to use for communications with the target device for positioning the target device [“radar station 125 communicates with main satellite 101. The communication…sends a tasking request to main satellite 101… the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 31-39) “Once group of satellites 105 receives the tasking coordination message, each satellite angles itself towards the imaging target and adjusts its course accordingly…” (col. 7, lines 47-49)].
Consider claim 2; Pennings discloses the at least one processor is configured to determine the group of wireless communication device radios of the plurality of wireless communication device radios based on a known area comprising the target device [“radar station 125 communicates with main satellite 101. The communication…sends a tasking request to main satellite 101… the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 31-39) “…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3)].
Consider claim 3; Pennings discloses the criteria comprises at least one of confidence in a location estimate of the target device [“the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 35-39)], a time of day, foot traffic for an area comprising the target device, an accuracy requirement associated with a use case for the target device, a buffer capacity for each wireless communication device radio of the plurality of wireless communication device radios, presence of uplink interference, or a use case associated with an identifier of the target device.
Consider claim 5; Pennings discloses the communications pattern is a receive pattern for the group of wireless communication device radios to receive from the target device [“…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3) “…the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 35-39) “Once group of satellites 105 receives the tasking coordination message, each satellite angles itself towards the imaging target and adjusts its course accordingly…” (col. 7, lines 47-49) “Each satellite receives echoes 120 at different locations and times meaning the data collected from imaging target 110 contains more information than can be captured by a single satellite pass.” (col. 8, lines 3-6)].
Consider claim 6; Pennings discloses the communications pattern is a transmit pattern for the group of wireless communication device radios to transmit to the target device [“…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3) “…the tasking request comprises flight pattern instructions, an imaging target and location…a target velocity and positioning range…coordination instructions for group of satellites 105…” (col. 7, lines 35-39) “Once group of satellites 105 receives the tasking coordination message, each satellite angles itself towards the imaging target and adjusts its course accordingly…” (col. 7, lines 47-49) “Once main satellite 101 and trailing group of satellites 105 reach the tasked location and orbit some distances near imaging target 110, main satellite, equipped with SAR technology, transmits RF pulse 115 towards imaging target 110 to illuminate structures and landscapes present.” (col. 7, lines 63-67)].
Consider claim 7; Pennings discloses the at least one processor is configured to group wireless communication device radios within the group of wireless communication device radios into a plurality of clusters [“… one cluster of satellites can communicate with a further cluster of satellites to update its mission tasks.” (col. 5, lines 48-49) “…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3)].
Consider claim 8; Pennings discloses the wireless communication device radios within each cluster of the plurality of clusters have a uniform spatial geometry [“…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3) “main satellite 101 flies in low-Earth orbit with group of satellites 105 trailing behind in an evenly, horizontally distributed manner.” (col. 7, lines 25-27)].
Consider claim 9; Pennings discloses the communications pattern comprises staggered transmissions across time for the wireless communication device radios [“…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3) “…group of satellites 105 flies within 5-10 kilometers apart from each other and main satellite 101.” (col. 7, lines 27-29)] within each cluster of the plurality of clusters [“…a first satellite of a first cluster of satellites, transmits a tasking request to at least one satellite of a further cluster of satellites.” (col. 5, lines 50-52)].
Consider claim 10; Pennings discloses the communications pattern comprises staggered transmissions across time for wireless communication device radios across different clusters of the plurality of clusters [“…operating environment 100 which further includes main satellite 101, groups of satellites 105, and imaging target 110. Also included are radio frequency (RF) pulse 115 and echo 120.” (col. 5, line 67 – col. 6, line 3) “…group of satellites 105 flies within 5-10 kilometers apart from each other and main satellite 101.” (col. 7, lines 27-29) “…a first satellite of a first cluster of satellites, transmits a tasking request to at least one satellite of a further cluster of satellites.” (col. 5, lines 50-52)].
Consider claim 11; Pennings discloses the network entity is a management entity [“Upon receiving tasking request from radar station 125, main satellite 101 communicates with each of the satellites in group of satellites 105 to relay the tasking request and perform coordination maneuvers.” (col. 7, lines 40-43)].
As for claims 13-15, 18-20, claims 13-15, 18-20 reflects the method comprising computer executable instructions for implementing the article of manufacture as claimed in claims 1-3, 5-7, and is rejected along the same rationale.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 4, 12, 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pennings (U.S. Patent Number: 12,241,970) in view of Connolly et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2014/0353368).
Consider claim 4, as applied in claim 1; Pennings discloses the claimed invention except: the target device is an ambient IOT device or a mobile device.
In an analogous art Connolly discloses the target device is an ambient IOT device or a mobile device [“An electronic shelf label (ESL) 100 is powered by a power source…and includes a radio transceiver 114…” (par. 14, lines 4-5) “ESLs may also be affixed or attached to the products displayed on the shelves or racks.” (par. 14, lines 14-15) “The ESL can be compliant to IEEE 802.11 protocols and variants thereof. Additionally, the ESL can utilize other wireless technologies such as, but not limited to:…satellite data communication protocols…” (par. 18, lines 1-3, 14-15)].
It is an object of Pennings’ invention to provide a method of collecting, processing, and rendering images. It is an object of Connolly’s invention to provide a method of displaying information and acknowledging receipt of the display data. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Pennings by including ESL, as taught by Connolly, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
Consider claim 12, as applied in claim 1; Pennings discloses the claimed invention except: each wireless communication device radio of the plurality of wireless communication device radios is an electronic shelf label radio.
In an analogous art Connolly discloses each wireless communication device radio of the plurality of wireless communication device radios is an electronic shelf label radio [“An electronic shelf label (ESL) 100 is powered by a power source…and includes a radio transceiver 114…” (par. 14, lines 4-5) “ESLs may also be affixed or attached to the products displayed on the shelves or racks.” (par. 14, lines 14-15) “The ESL can be compliant to IEEE 802.11 protocols and variants thereof. Additionally, the ESL can utilize other wireless technologies such as, but not limited to:…satellite data communication protocols…” (par. 18, lines 1-3, 14-15)].
It is an object of Pennings’ invention to provide a method of collecting, processing, and rendering images. It is an object of Connolly’s invention to provide a method of displaying information and acknowledging receipt of the display data. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Pennings by including ESL, as taught by Connolly, for the purpose of efficiently providing services in a telecommunications network.
As for claim 16, claim 16 reflects the method comprising computer executable instructions for implementing the article of manufacture as claimed in claim 4, and is rejected along the same rationale.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pennings (U.S. Patent Number: 12,241,970) in view of Yehezkely et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2020/0228124).
Consider claim 17, as applied in claim 16; Pennings discloses the claimed invention except: the ambient IOT device is an energy harvesting electronic tag.
In an analogous art Yehezkely discloses the ambient IOT device is an energy harvesting electronic tag [“…the IoT tag 200 includes a pair of antennas 210-1…The first antenna 210-1 is utilized to harvest energy from ambient signals…” (par. 33, lines 1-4)].
It is an object of Pennings’ invention to provide a method of collecting, processing, and rendering images. It is an object of Yehezkely’s invention to collect and exchange data. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Pennings by including an IoT device, as taught by Yehezkely, for the purpose of effectively managing communication in a network.
Conclusion
Any response to this Office Action should be faxed to (571) 273-8300 or mailed to:
Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
Hand-delivered responses should be brought to
Customer Service Window
Randolph Building
401 Dulany Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Joel Ajayi whose telephone number is (571) 270-1091. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 7:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Jeanette Parker can be reached on (571) 270-3647. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free) or 703-305-3028.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist/customer service whose telephone number is (571) 272-2600.
/JOEL AJAYI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
Prosecution Insights