DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 2 recites the limitation “the transmitters(s).” however, it appears that this limitation was written by accident instead of “the transmitters(s)” i.e. without the period. Appropriate correction is required for clarification.
Claim 24 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 24 recites the limitation “form a combined heat sink” however, it appears that this limitation was written by accident instead of “form a combined heat sink.” i.e. with a period. Appropriate correction is required for clarification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
1. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-8, 12, 16-19 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the OWC receiver(s)”, however, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the at least one presence detector”, however, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation “the presence detectors”, however, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Furthermore, a period is missing to end the claim. Appropriate correction is required for clarification.
Claim 22 recites the limitation “the light sources”, however, there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Germe et al (WO 2021209352 A1) in view of Wendt et al (US Pub 20240014900).
Regarding Claim 1. Germe discloses an optical wireless communication (OWC) transmitter apparatus, comprising:
a plurality of transmitters, each transmitter having a respective field-of-view in respect of which it is configured to transmit OWC signals (Fig 1, where an apparatus (100) comprises a plurality of transmitters (e.g. 121), each transmitter (e.g. 121) having a respective field-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) in respect of which it is configured to transmit OWC signals); and
a controller configured to select which of the transmitters transmit the OWC signals, thereby determining a transmission area to which the OWC signals are transmitted by the apparatus (Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) comprises a controller (e.g. 130) configured to select (e.g. via switches 122) which of the transmitters (e.g. 121) transmit the OWC signals, thereby determining a transmission area (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) to which the OWC signals are transmitted by the apparatus (100)),
wherein the transmission area comprises at least one sub-area, each sub-area corresponding to the field-of-view of a respective one of the transmitters (Fig 1, where the transmission area (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) comprises at least one sub-area, and each sub-area corresponds to the field-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) of a respective one of the transmitters (e.g. 121)).
Germe fails to explicitly disclose the transmission area being a transmission zone and the sub-area being a sub-zone.
However, Wendt discloses
a transmission area being a transmission zone and a sub-area being a sub-zone (Fig 1, where an apparatus comprises a transmission area (e.g. 111, 131) that is a transmission zone and a sub-area (e.g. 111 or 121) that is a sub-zone).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of the apparatus (100) as described in Germe, with the teachings of the apparatus as described in Wendt. The motivation being is that as shown an apparatus comprises a transmission area (e.g. 111, 131) that is a transmission zone and a sub-area (e.g. 111 or 121) that is a sub-zone and one of ordinary skill in the art can implement this concept into the apparatus (100) as described in Germe and better show and illustrate that the apparatus (100) comprises a transmission area (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) that is a transmission zone and a sub-area that is a sub-zone i.e. because the transmission areas and the transmission zones are equivalent and the sub-areas and the sub-zones are equivalent and where the transmitters (e.g. 121) generate the transmission areas/zones in order to optimally communicate with a remote device and where such transmission areas/zones are formed by sub-areas/zones of the transmitters (e.g. 121) and optimally defines the areas/zones used to perform data communications and which combination is being made because the systems are similar and have overlapping components (e.g. Li-Fi transmitters,…) and which combination is a simple implementation of a known concept of a known apparatus into another similar apparatus (100), namely, for better clarifying its operation/configuration and which combination yields predictable results.
Regarding Claim 2. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the selecting of the transmitter(s). comprises controlling by the controller whether each transmitter is in a higher power state or a lower power state (Germe Fig 1, where the selecting (e.g. via switches 122) of the transmitters (e.g. 121) comprises controlling by the controller (e.g. 130) whether each transmitter (e.g. 121) is in a higher power state (e.g. a switched on state) or a lower power state (e.g. a switched off state)).
Regarding Claim 3. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the apparatus is configured to transmit the OWC signals to a remote device, the apparatus further comprises at least one presence detector for determining a location of the remote device, and the selecting of the transmitters to transmit OWC signals comprises selecting one or more of the transmitters in dependence on the determined location of the remote device (Germe Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) is configured to transmit the OWC signals to a remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b), the apparatus (100) further comprises at least one presence detector (e.g. 111) for determining a location of the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b), and the selecting (e.g. via switches 122) of the transmitters (e.g. 121) to transmit OWC signals comprises selecting (e.g. via switches 122) one or more of the transmitters (e.g. 121) in dependence on the determined location of the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 4. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein selecting of the transmitter(s) to transmit OWC signals comprises selecting one or more of the transmitters based on at least one of whether the remote device is determined to be present in, or within a threshold distance, of, or moving towards, or moving away from, the field(s)-of-view of said transmitter(s) (Germe Fig 1, where selecting (e.g. via switches 122) of the transmitters (e.g. 121) to transmit OWC signals comprises selecting (e.g. via switches 122) one or more of the transmitters (e.g. 121) based on whether the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) is determined to be present in the field-of-view (e.g. 210) of said transmitter (e.g. 121)).
Regarding Claim 5. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one presence detector comprises a plurality of presence detectors, each having a respective different presence detector field of view (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises a plurality of presence detectors (e.g. 111) and each has a respective different presence detector field of view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 6. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus further comprising one or more OWC receivers for receiving OWC signals transmitted according to an OWC protocol (Germe Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) comprises one or more OWC receivers (e.g. 111) for receiving OWC signals (e.g. from a remote device 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) transmitted according to an OWC protocol).
Regarding Claim 7. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus wherein at least one of the OWC transmitter(s) or the OWC receiver(s) comprise a freeform optical lens (Germe Fig 1, where the OWC transmitter (e.g. 121) is known to comprise a freeform optical lens (see for example Sampsell et al (US Pat 6606175) Fig 3, lens 26)).
Regarding Claim 8. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein at least one of the OWC transmitter(s) comprises a freeform optical lens which is configured to map or translate light from a transmitter light source onto a plane of reception in an operating region located in the OWC transmission field of view wherein the mapped or translated light has an intensity distribution of defined shape or perimeter (circumference) or contour (Germe Fig 1, where the OWC transmitter (e.g. 121) is known to comprise a freeform optical lens (see for example Sampsell et al (US Pat 6606175) Fig 3, lens 26) which is configured to map or translate light from a transmitter light source (e.g. an LED) onto a plane of reception in an operating region located in the OWC transmission field of view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) and wherein the mapped or translated light has an intensity distribution of defined shape (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 9. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one presence detector comprises at least one optical presence detector configured to detect signals from the remote device (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises at least one optical presence detector (e.g. 111) configured to detect signals from the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 10. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one optical presence detector is configured to determine the location of the device based on receipt of OWC signals without decoding the received OWC signals to extract data encoded in the OWC signals (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one optical presence detector (e.g. 111) is configured to determine the location of the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) based on receipt of OWC signals (i.e. due to detector/RSSI module 114/115) without decoding the received OWC signals to extract data encoded in the OWC signals).
Regarding Claim 11. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, further comprising at least one OWC receiver for receiving OWC signals transmitted according to an OWC protocol, wherein the at least one optical presence detector comprises a photodetector of lower received signal frequency response or sensitivity than the at least one OWC receiver(s) at OWC transmission frequencies (Germe Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) comprises at least one OWC receiver (e.g. receiver 111a) (e.g. PD1 as shown in Fig 5a) for receiving OWC signals transmitted according to an OWC protocol, and where the at least one optical presence detector (e.g. receiver 111d) (e.g. PD4 as shown in Fig 5a) is known to comprise a photodetector of lower sensitivity than the at least one OWC receiver (e.g. receiver 111a) (e.g. PD1 as shown in Fig 5a) at OWC transmission frequencies (see for example Paoli et al (US Pub 20040086283) Fig 2, para [42] where a PIN photodiode has a lower sensitivity than an APD photodiode)).
Regarding Claim 12. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one presence detector comprises or uses at least one of an energy detector, movement detector, beacon signals, triangulation, an infrared sensor, a microwave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a tomographic sensor, a radar system, a video camera sensor, a gesture detector, in order to detect the presence of a remote device or a user of the remote device (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises an energy detector (e.g. 114/115) in order to detect the presence of the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 13. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one optical presence detector comprises at least one OWC receiver, configured to determine the location of the remote device based on OWC signals received from the remote device (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one optical presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises at least one OWC receiver configured to determine the location of the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) based on OWC signals received from the remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 14. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein each presence detector has a field of view that is aligned with and/or at least partially matched to a field of view of a corresponding one or more of the transmitters (Germe Fig 1, where each presence detector (e.g. 111) has a field of view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) that is aligned with a field of view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) of a corresponding one or more of the transmitters (e.g. 121)).
Regarding Claim 15. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one presence detector comprises a plurality of presence detectors with overlapping fields-of-view (Germe Fig 1, where the at least one presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises a plurality of presence detectors (e.g. 111) with overlapping fields-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 16. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, comprising at least one optical presence detection barrier, or a freeform optical lens, configured to at least one of define or limit the optical field-of-view of at least one of the presence detectors (Germe Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) comprises a presence detector (e.g. 111) and it is known that the presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises an optical presence detection barrier, or a freeform optical lens (see for example Jebens (US Pat 6577426) Fig 1, lens 20), configured to limit the optical field-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) of the presence detector (e.g. 111))
Regarding Claim 17. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the at least one optical presence detection barrier comprises a plurality of optical barriers, each associated with a respective one or more of the presence detectors, or the freeform optical lens comprises a plurality of optical lenses each associated with a respective one or more of the presence detectors (Germe Fig 1, where the presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises the freeform optical lens (see for example Jebens (US Pat 6577426) Fig 1, lens 20) with a plurality of optical lenses (e.g. lenses 20) each associated with a respective one of presence detectors (e.g. 111)).
Regarding Claim 18. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein at least of the optical presence detection barrier(s) or freeform optical lens(es) are configured such that the field(s)-of-view have desired shapes (Germe Fig 1, where the presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises the freeform optical lens (see for example Jebens (US Pat 6577426) Fig 1, lens 20) and is configured such that the field-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) has a desired shape (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 19. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein at least one of the optical presence detection barriers or freeform optical lens(es) are configured so that at least some of the optical presence detection fields-of-view adjoin or overlap at the or a target distance from the transmitter apparatus (Germe Fig 1, where the presence detector (e.g. 111) comprises the freeform optical lens (see for example Jebens (US Pat 6577426) Fig 1, lens 20) and is configured so that the optical presence detection fields-of-view (e.g. 210) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) adjoin or overlap at a target distance from the transmitter apparatus (100) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 20. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to select the transmitters for transmission of OWC signals to maintain continuity of communication with the or at least one remote device (Germe Fig 1, where the controller (e.g. 130) is configured to select (e.g. via switches 122) the transmitters (e.g. 121) for transmission of OWC signals to maintain continuity of communication with at least one remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 5a, Fig 5b, Fig 6a and Fig 6b)).
Regarding Claim 21. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to vary optical power output for the selected transmitters in dependence on a measured or expected temperature of at least part of the apparatus and/or a measured or expected temperature of at least one of the transmitters (Germe Fig 1, where the controller (e.g. 130) is known to vary optical power output for the selected transmitters (e.g. 121) in dependence on a measured or expected temperature of at least one of the transmitters (e.g. 121) (see for example Miki et al (US Pub 20020118424) Fig 1, Fig 4, paras [33][45])).
Regarding Claim 22. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the controller is configured to vary data rate transmission of OWC signals and/or driver circuit power provided to selected transmitters in dependence on measured or predicted temperature of at least one of the light sources or transmitters and/or the number and/or location of selected transmitters (Germe Fig 1, where the controller (e.g. 130) is known to vary driver circuit power provided to selected transmitters (e.g. 121) in dependence on measured or predicted temperature of the transmitters (e.g. 121) (see for example Miki et al (US Pub 20020118424) Fig 1, Fig 4, paras [33][45])).
Regarding Claim 23. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one heatsink arranged to remove heat from at least one transmitter (Germe Fig 1, where the apparatus (100) is known to comprise a heatsink arranged to remove heat from at least one transmitter (e.g. 121) (see for example Poulain et al (US Pub 20200366370) Fig 1, Fig 5, heatsink 64)).
Regarding Claim 24. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises more than one heat sink, each respective heat sink being associated with a respective transmitter wherein at least one of the heat sink is in thermal connectivity with at least one other of the heat sinks to form a combined heat sink (Germe Fig 1, Fig 2b, where the apparatus (100) is known to comprise a heat sink at each of a plurality of access points (140) (see for example Poulain et al (US Pub 20200366370) Fig 1, Fig 5, where each access point 12 comprises a heatsink 64), each respective heat sink is associated with a respective transmitter (e.g. 121) and at least one of the heat sinks is known to be in thermal connectivity with at least one other of the heat sinks to form a combined heat sink (see for example Giardina et al (US Pub 20070053161) Fig 1, where heatsinks 150 and 151 are in thermal connectivity via pipe 160))
Regarding Claim 25. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein the maximum data transfer rate achieved by each transmitter in thermal connection with the combined heat sink is dependent on at least one of the number or location of other transmitters in operation (Germe Fig 1, Fig 2b, where the apparatus (100) archives the maximum data transfer rate by each transmitter (e.g. 121) in thermal connection with the combined heat sink (e.g. as shown in Giardina et al (US Pub 20070053161) Fig 1, where heatsinks 150 and 151 are in thermal connectivity via pipe 160) and is dependent on the number of other transmitters (e.g. 121) in operation).
Regarding Claim 26. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein each transmitter comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED) or vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) (Germe Fig 1, where each transmitter (e.g. 121) comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED)).
Regarding Claim 27. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses the apparatus, wherein at least one of: a) the OWC signals comprise LiFi signals; b) the OWC light signals comprise modulated visible, infra-red ultraviolet or terahertz signals; c) the OWC signals are in accordance with one or more of IEEE 802.15.7, 802.15.13, 802.11 or extensions or developments thereof; ITU-T G.9960 or extensions or developments thereof; or ITU-T G.vlc or extensions or developments thereof (Germe Fig 1, where the OWC signals comprise LiFi signals (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 28. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses an OWC transceiver comprising the apparatus, wherein the transmitter(s) may be configured to at least partially retransmit OWC signals, received by an OWC receiver and/or wherein the OWC receiver and the transmitter or transmitters may have respective fields of view aligned to the same or different operating regions, such that the OWC signals may be received by the OWC receiver from one operating region and at least partially re-transmitted by at least one of the transmitters aligned to the same and/or a different operating region (Germe Fig 1, Fig 2b, where an OWC transceiver comprises the apparatus (100) and where the transmitters (e.g. 121) are known to at least partially retransmit/relay OWC signals at an access point (140) (see for example Solanki (US Pub 20200195343) Fig 1, access point 202) received by an OWC receiver (e.g. at 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 29. Claim 29 is similar to claim 1, therefore, claim 29 is rejected for the same reasons as claim 1.
Regarding Claim 30. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses an optical wireless communication system comprising: the apparatus configured to communicate with at least one remote device; and the at least one remote device (Germe Fig 1, where an optical wireless communication system comprises the apparatus (100) configured to communicate with at least one remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b) and the at least one remote device (e.g. 250) (e.g. as shown in Fig 2b)).
Regarding Claim 31. Germe as modified by Wendt also discloses an optical wireless communication system comprising a plurality of the OWC transceiver apparatus, wherein at least one of the plurality of OWC transceiver apparatus is orientated and positioned such at least one of a transmission field of view or a receiver field of view of the at least one OWC transceiver apparatus are aligned to different operating regions or are directed in different directions compared to at least one of the transmission field of view or reception field of view of a further one of the plurality of OWC transceiver apparatus (Germe Fig 1, Fig 2b, where an optical wireless communication system is known to comprise a plurality of the OWC transceiver apparatus (100) at a plurality of access points (140) (see for example Solanki (US Pub 20200195343) Fig 1, access points 202), wherein at least one of the plurality of OWC transceiver apparatus (100) is orientated and positioned such that a transmission field of view of the at least one OWC transceiver apparatus (100) is directed in a different direction compared to the transmission field of view of a further one of the plurality of OWC transceiver apparatus (100) (see Solanki (US Pub 20200195343) Fig 1)).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to DIBSON J SANCHEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-0868. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 10:00-6:00.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, Kenneth Vanderpuye can be reached on 5712723078. 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). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DIBSON J SANCHEZ/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634
Prosecution Insights