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 Objections
Claims 12 and 14 – 15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 12, “…the steps of the encoding process according to…” in line 2 could be changed to “…the steps of the encoding method according to…”. Appropriate correction is required.
In claim 14, “…comprising a UWB transmitter according to claim 12…” in line 2 should be corrected to “…comprising [[a]] the UWB transmitter according to claim 12…”. Appropriate correction is required.
In claim 15, “…comprising a UWB transmitter according to claim 12…” in line 2 should be corrected to “…comprising [[a]] the UWB transmitter according to claim 12…”. Appropriate correction is required.
In claim 15, “…with each other; calculating…” in lines 8 – 9 should be corrected to “…with each other; and calculating…”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 1 – 15 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 1 recites of “generating the sequence of data segments, each data segment useful data valueand based on: the time reference, a position of the data segment in the sequence; an autocorrelation peak of the second pseudo-random code” in lines 7 – 12. It is not clear how the “each data segment” as claimed is related to the encoding step. It is not clear whether the generating step or the encoding step is based on the time reference, a position of the data segment in the sequence; an autocorrelation peak of the second pseudo-random code. Therefore, the claim vague is indefinite. For purpose of art rejection, Examiner has interpreted the above limitation as: “generating the sequence of data segmentsby encoding at least one useful data value using a second pseudo-random code and based on: the time reference, a position of the data segment in the sequence; and an autocorrelation peak of the second pseudo-random code”. Dependent claims 2 – 15 are rejected because they rely on the above rejected independent claim, making their own scope uncertain.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the first position" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "the decoding process" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1, 8 and 12 – 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lakkis (US 2010/0272154).
Re claim 1, Lakkis teaches of a computer-implemented method for encoding at least one data message intended to be transmitted by a ultra-wide band (UWB) (UWB, Paragraphs 0005, 0045 and 0064) transmitter to a UWB receiver (Paragraph 0064, Fig.1), the method comprising: generating a header (preamble, #322, Fig.3 and #702, Fig.7) encoded by a first pseudo-random code (#324, Fig.3), said header defining a time reference (SFD, #710, Fig.7) after which a sequence of data segments (#704, #706, Fig.7) is intended to be transmitted (The start-frame delimiter field 212 comprises a sequence {1 -1 1 -1} spread by a128 and/or b128 to indicate the end of the sync field, Paragraph 0092); generating the sequence of data segments (#704, #706, Fig.7), each data segment encoding at least one useful data value using a second pseudo-random code (The header and data fields 202 and 203 may be binary or complex-valued, and spread using generalized Golay code c32, Paragraph 0092, Fig.7 and #318, Fig.3) and based on: the time reference (SFD, Fig.7, where the Start frame delimiter (SFD) time marks where the preamble ends and actual data begins), a position of the data segment in the sequence (where the data segments are positioned after the SFD, Fig.7); an autocorrelation peak of the second pseudo-random code (autocorrelation, Paragraphs 0006, 0069 – 0070, 0088 and 0093).
Re claim 8, Lakkis teaches of wherein the first pseudo-random code (binary Golay code of length 128, Paragraph 0082) has a number of bits greater than the number of bits of the second pseudo-random (Golay code of length 32, Paragraph 0093) (Fig.7).
Re claim 12, Lakkis teaches of a UWB transmitter comprising a calculator configured to carry out the steps of the encoding process according to claim 1 (processor, Fig.2).
Re claim 13, Lakkis teaches of a UWB receiver comprising a calculator (processor, Fig.2) configured to carry out the steps of the decoding process according to claim 1 (#304, Fig.3).
Re claim 14, Lakkis teaches of a system for encoding and decoding at least one data message comprising a UWB transmitter according to claim 12 and a UWB receiver (#304, Fig.3).
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.
The factual inquiries 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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lakkis in view of Lingam et al (US 2017/0272118).
Re claim 2, Lakkis teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as well as each data segment comprises a set of bits (Paragraph 0098 and Fig.7). Lakkis does not specifically teach of wherein each data segment comprises a set of bits, the method comprising a time shifting operation of a subset of bits, encoding the useful data value of at least one data segment in the sequence of data segments to position said subset of bits in the first position in the data segment.
Lingam teaches of performing a time shifting operation of a subset of bits (concatenate the parallel streams (#112, Fig.1) into a frame as shown in Fig.2), encoding the useful data value of at least one data segment in the sequence of data segments (DSSS, Fig.1) to position said subset of bits in the first position in the data segment (after SHR, Fig.2).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have time shifted the subset of bits to efficiently generate the DSSS packet.
Claims 3 – 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lakkis in view of Wang et al (US 2009/0175258).
Re claim 3, Lakkis teaches all the limitations of claim 1, as well as generating the first pseudo-random code and/or the second pseudo-random code using a linear feedback shift register (LFSR) (Paragraph 0076). Lakkis does not specifically mention of generating the first PN code and/or the second PN code from an initial PN code.
Wang teaches of generating the first pseudo-random code and/or the second pseudo-random code (PN generator using using a linear-feedback shift register (LFSR), Paragraph 0005) from an initial pseudo-random code (initial seed, Paragraph 0005).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have loaded an initial pseudo-random code in Lakkis LFSR so as to efficiently perform PN generation.
Re claim 4, Lakkis and Wang teach all the limitations of claim 3 as well as Wang teaches of generating the first pseudo-random code or the second pseudo-random code by replacing at least one bit of the initial pseudo-random code with a replacement pseudo-random code (the shift registers would replace the bits from the initial code to generate the PN code, Paragraph 0005).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced at least one bit of the initial pseudo-random code with a replacement pseudo-random code so as to efficiently perform PN generation.
Re claim 5, Lakkis and Wang teach all the limitations of claim 4 as well as Wang teaches of wherein generating the first pseudo-random code or the second pseudo-random code comprises replacing each bit of the first replacement pseudo-random replacement code with a second replacement pseudo-random code (the shift registers would replace each bit from the initial code to generate the PN code, Paragraph 0005).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have replaced each bit of the initial pseudo-random code with a replacement pseudo-random code so as to efficiently perform PN generation.
Re claim 6, Lakkis and Wang teach all the limitations of claim 4 as well as Lakkis mentions of multiple spreading sequences such as m-sequences, Gold sequences, Barker sequences (Paragraph 0011).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the pseudo-random code comprise a Barker sequence for its excellent autocorrelation features.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lakkis and Wang in view of Buchmann et al (US 2009/0252326).
Re claim 7, Lakkis and Wang teach all the limitations of claim 3, except of comprising generating a plurality of second pseudo-random codes from the initial pseudo-random code by successively applying time shifts of a predefined number of bits to the initial pseudo-random code, and wherein generating the set of segments is performed using the plurality of second pseudo-random codes.
Buchmann teaches of generating a plurality of second pseudo-random codes from the initial pseudo-random code by successively applying time shifts of a predefined number of bits to the initial pseudo-random code, and wherein generating the set of segments is performed using the plurality of second pseudo-random codes (Time-shifted PRBS sequences, Paragraphs 0014).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have generated a plurality of second pseudo-random codes from the initial pseudo-random code by successively applying time shifts of a predefined number of bits to the initial pseudo-random code for minimizing cross-talk.
Claims 9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lakkis in view of Hehn et al (US 2016/0259032).
Re claim 9, Lakkis teaches all the limitations of claim 1 except of a computer-implemented method for locating a transmitter comprising encoding the data message according to claim 1, the method comprising receiving a plurality of data messages by a plurality of UWB beacons, each beacon comprising a clock, said receiving comprising: synchronizing the clocks of the UWB beacon ; time-stamping, by each clock, the reception of the data messages; calculating the position of the transmitter from the data messages received by the plurality of UWB beacons.
Hehn teaches of a computer-implemented method for locating a transmitter comprising encoding the data message, the method comprising receiving a plurality of data messages by a plurality of UWB beacons (#102, Fig.1A), each beacon comprising a clock (#300, Fig.1A), said receiving comprising: synchronizing the clocks of the UWB beacon (synchronized clocks, Paragraph 0113); time-stamping, by each clock, the reception of the data messages (timestamping the signals 102, Fig.1A and Paragraphs 0113 – 0115); calculating the position of the transmitter from the data messages received by the plurality of UWB beacons (#152, Fig.1A and Paragraph 0125).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used Hahn’s method to determine the location of devices with great accuracy.
Re claim 15, Lakkis teaches all the limitations of claim 12 except of system for encoding and decoding at least one data message comprising and a plurality of UWB beacons each comprising: i) a clock for measuring time-stamp data of the reception of data messages transmitted by the UWB transmitter; ii) a calculator for: synchronizing the clocks of the plurality of UWB beacons with each other; calculating, by trilateration, the position of the UWB transmitter at the origin of the data message.
Hehn teaches of a system for encoding and decoding at least one data message comprising a UWB transmitter and a plurality of UWB beacons (#102, Fig.1A) each comprising: i) a clock for measuring time-stamp data of the reception of data messages transmitted by the UWB transmitter (timestamping the signals 102, Fig.1A and Paragraphs 0113 – 0115); ii) a calculator for: synchronizing the clocks of the plurality of UWB beacons with each other (synchronized clocks, Paragraph 0113); calculating, by trilateration (trilateration, Paragraph 0114), the position of the UWB transmitter at the origin of the data message (#152, Fig.1A and Paragraph 0125).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used Hahn’s method to determine the location of devices with great accuracy.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 – 11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARISTOCRATIS FOTAKIS whose telephone number is (571)270-1206. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sam K Ahn can be reached at (571) 272-3044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ARISTOCRATIS FOTAKIS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633