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
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(c), the Applicant's submissions of the Information Disclosure Statement is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P. 609 C(2), a copy of the PTOL-1449 initialed and dated by the examiner is attached to the instant office action.
Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement has been received, entered into the record, and considered. See attached form PTO-1449.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 6-9, 11, 13-14, 16-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by M. Silverman et al. (US Publication No. 20220191814 A1 and Silverman hereinafter) .
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding Claims 1, 14 and 20, Silverman teaches a method for wireless communications performed by a wireless device, comprising:
obtaining, prior to association with an access point (AP) (i.e., Each of the access points 105 can include any access point or other network device configured to facilitate a connection between one or more mobile devices (such as mobile devices 140) and a network (such as network 150). Access points are sometimes referred to herein as “APs” or “wireless local area network (WLAN) access points.” ) Para [0015] and (i.e., location server 190 UWB location measurement information, e.g., location measurement packets that include the UWB location measurements, their respective timestamps, wireless device identifiers (e.g., access point/UWB anchor identifiers), and a mobile device identifier for mobile device 140i (e.g., MAC/IP address or other identifiers) to which the location measurements pertain. Location server 190 collects the location measurement information sent by the wireless devices ) Para [0046], ultra-wideband (UWB) information from the AP via an out-of-band (OOB) communication link (i.e., non-UWB (e.g., out-of-band) communications, to request/cause the mobile device to increase its non-UWB transmission rate. In response, mobile device may increase its non-UWB transmission rate, e.g., non-UWB blink rate and non-UWB TWR exchange rate, for a predetermined time period or until the UWB coverage holes are no longer detected. As a result, location server collects correspondingly more non-UWB location measurements from the wireless devices to compensate for the UWB coverage) Para [0058] between the wireless device and the AP (i.e., wireless devices (e.g., access points and anchors), mapped to their corresponding known locations in venue 101, are stored in a location database accessible to location server 190. The wireless devices connect, and identify themselves, to location server 190. Location server 190 enables non-UWB location services (e.g., WiFi and BLE location services) and UWB location services) Para [0041]; determining a location server within a network (i.e.., mobile device 140i may be provisioned/configured to set the default blink period and to trigger blinks, without any interaction with the wireless devices and/or location server) Para [0044] comprising the wireless device and the AP (i.e., wireless devices (e.g., access points and anchors), mapped to their corresponding known locations in venue 101, are stored in a location database accessible to location server 190. The wireless devices connect, and identify themselves, to location server 190. Location server 190 enables non-UWB location services (e.g., WiFi and BLE location services) and UWB location services) Para [0041], based on the UWB information; obtaining configuration information associated with a UWB ranging session (i.e., engages in UWB TWR exchanges with the access points at a default TWR exchange rate corresponding to default TWR exchange period T_twr_default (e.g., 1/T_twr_default). Those of the wireless devices within range of mobile device 140i, i.e., that can “hear” UWB transmissions from the mobile device, are said to be “reachable” by the mobile device.) Para [0045] from the location server via the OOB communication link(i.e., non-UWB (e.g., out-of-band) communications, to request/cause the mobile device to increase its non-UWB transmission rate. In response, mobile device may increase its non-UWB transmission rate, e.g., non-UWB blink rate and non-UWB TWR exchange rate, for a predetermined time period or until the UWB coverage holes are no longer detected. As a result, location server collects correspondingly more non-UWB location measurements from the wireless devices to compensate for the UWB coverage) Para [0058]; and performing the UWB ranging session in accordance with the configuration information (i.e., using more accurate ranging techniques on supporting devices (e.g. UWB). Once the training completes, the location of mobile devices that do not support ultra-accurate location (e.g. UWB) Para [0107].
Regarding Claims 2 and 16, Silverman teaches further comprising transmitting, to the AP via the OOB communication link, a request message for the UWB information prior to the association with the AP, wherein obtaining the UWB information comprises receiving, from the AP via the OOB communication link, a response message comprising the UWB information (i.e., ‘messages’, ‘messaging’, ‘signaling’, ‘data’, ‘content’, ‘objects’, ‘requests’, ‘queries’, ‘responses’, ‘replies’, etc. which may be inclusive of packets. ) Para [0101].
Regarding Claim 6, Silverman teaches wherein obtaining the UWB information comprises receiving, from the AP via the OOB communication link, at least one of a beacon message or a probe response message comprising the UWB information (i.e., location server 190 sends to the mobile device a message commanding the mobile device to increase the second rate relative to the first rate. Location server 190 may cause the mobile device to (i) increase the second rate from its initial value to a greater value and decrease the first rate from its initial value to a lesser value, (ii) increase the second rate but maintain the second rate constant, or (iii) maintain the second rate constant but decrease the first rate) Para [0082].
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, Silverman teaches , wherein the UWB information comprises at least one of an identifier of the location server or UWB capabilities of the network (i.e., second UWB coverage hole, location server 190 sends to the mobile device a message commanding the mobile device to begin transmitting non-UWB transmissions (e.g., Bluetooth transmissions, WPAN transmissions, and/or WLAN transmissions) assuming that the mobile device is not already doing so. Alternatively, when the mobile device is already originating non-UWB transmissions at a non-UWB transmission rate when the second UWB hole is detected, location server 190 sends to the mobile device a message commanding the mobile device to increase the non-UWB transmission rate, to correspondingly increase the rate at which the location server collects the non-UWB location measurements based on the non-UWB transmissions. In either case, location server 190 begins collecting additional non-UWB location measurements for different location techniques from the wireless devices that result from the non-UWB transmissions (i.e., based on the non-UWB transmissions), which compensate for the UWB coverage holes) Para [0084] .
Regarding Claim 8, Silverman teaches wherein the configuration information comprises at least one of a ranging schedule for the UWB ranging session, a channel allocated for the UWB ranging session, a modulation to be used for the UWB ranging session, an indication of a UWB ranging mode for the UWB ranging session, or an indication of one or more UWB anchors in the network (i.e., the location server 190 can be configured to cooperate with the access points 105, peripheral UWB anchor device 115, standalone UWB anchor device 120, and/or mobile devices 140 to schedule, initiate, and complete client ranging procedures within the venue 101 that provide location measurements to location solutions, e.g., by assigning and/or instructing one or more of the access points 105, peripheral UWB anchor device 115, and/or standalone UWB anchor device 120 to complete client ranging procedures with respect to one or more of the mobile devices 140) Para [0026].
Regarding Claim 9, Silverman teaches wherein the indication of the one or more UWB anchors comprises a respective UWB media access control (MAC) address for each of the one or more UWB anchors (i.e., identifiers (e.g., MAC/IP addresses and/or other identifiers) of wireless devices (e.g., access points and anchors), mapped to their corresponding known locations in venue 101, are stored in a location database accessible to location server 190. The wireless devices connect, and identify themselves, to location server 190. Location server 190 enables non-UWB location services (e.g., WiFi and BLE location services) and UWB location services with respect to venue) Para [0041].
Regarding Claims 11 and 18, Silverman teaches wherein the UWB information comprises a signal strength threshold of the AP associated with detection of one or more UWB anchors associated with the AP (i.e., peripheral UWB anchor device 115 connected to access point 105(2), and positioned at a known location in venue 101. For example, the UWB anchor device 115 can be embodied in a peripheral device connected to access point 105(2) via a USB dongle, a time-synchronized network (TSN) connection, or another connection technology now known or hereinafter developed. UWB anchor device 115 can make UWB location measurements and provide them to access point) Para [0018] and (i.e., location server 190 can process time, distance, angle, signal strength or other information from one or more of the access points 105, peripheral UWB anchor devices 115, standalone UWB anchor devices 120, and/or mobile devices 140 to determine and/or track a location of a particular one of the mobile devices 140. The location server 190 can be configured to return results of that processing to the particular one of the mobile devices 140, e.g., through one or more of the access points 105, or to some other entity seeking that location information, if so desired. In addition, or in the alternative, the access points 105, peripheral UWB anchor devices 115, standalone anchor devices 120, and/or mobile devices 140 can be configured to perform certain location computations) Para [0028].
Regarding Claim 13, Silverman teaches wherein the OOB communication link is an 802.11 communication link (i.e., Each standalone UWB anchor device 120 also may include other communication capabilities, such as BLE wireless communication capabilities and/or wired communication capabilities, e.g., via a connection to a network (such as network 150) over IEEE 802.11, Ethernet, or another connection mechanism ) Para [0021].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5, 10, 12, 15 and 19 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Silverman et al., (US Patent Publication No. 20220191814), “Mapping method to compensate for UMB coverage gaps” (June 16, 2022) discloses collecting, from wireless devices at known locations in a venue, first ultra wideband (UWB) location measurements obtained using a first location technique based on first UWB transmissions made by a mobile device at a first rate; second collecting, from the wireless devices, second UWB location measurements obtained using a second location technique based on second UWB transmissions made by the mobile device at a second rate; detecting that the mobile device is in a first UWB coverage hole for the venue with respect to the first UWB location measurements based on a first UWB coverage hole criterion; based on detecting, increasing the second rate relative to the first rate to obtain additional second UWB location measurements using the second location technique to compensate for the first UWB coverage hole.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE D MIZRAHI whose telephone number is 571- 272-4079. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-3:30 PM (7:30 - 4:30 p.m.).
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/DIANE D MIZRAHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Diane.Mizrahi@USPTO.gov
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