DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to applicant's communication filed on 11/29/2024, wherein:
Claim 1-11 and 13-18 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)(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.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Halcrow et al. (US 20070167174 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Halcrow discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions (Fig. 2A: element 213, 214, 211, 212; Fig. 2B: element 266, 268, 269, 262; ¶0045, and ¶s0051) which, when executed by a computer, cause a computer to:
broadcast, by a transmitter arranged on the stationary object, a signal (¶0007 – “Particularly, the term hotspot refers to the area extending from the wireless access port within which the wireless signal is broadcasted and can be detected by a wireless-enabled/capable user device. "Hotspot" based wireless services are provided by adhoc networks using short-range wireless systems, such as Bluetooth, 802.11 and wireless local area network (WLAN) technology/protocol and provide proximity-based wireless services”);
detect, by a receiver provided in a first moving object, the presence of the stationary object by receiving the signal (Fig. 3B step 324 and ¶0084 – “The process begins at block 302 and proceeds to block 324, which illustrates the user device detecting a WIFI hotspot. Whenever a hotspot is detected, the user device establishes a connection to the hotspot as shown at block 325”);
determine a position of the first moving object at a time at which the stationary object was detected (Fig. 3A-3B step 308, Fig. 5A step 508, ¶0060 – “Provider 140 then associates the GPS coordinate with the HOT, as indicated at block 308. In an alternate embodiment, the GPS coordinate is included within the HOT. Provider 140 then checks at block 310 whether the GPS coordinate and identified WIFI hotspot is a new WIFI hotspot (i.e., not one already stored within the HLD)”);
record a position of the stationary object based on the determined position of the first moving object (Fig. 3A-3B step 312 and ¶0060-0061 – “When the WIFI hotspot is new, Provider 140 updates the HLD with an entry of this newly discovered/identified hotspot along with its associated GPS coordinate, as provided at block 312… By correlating GPS coordinates with live connections of wireless devices, Provider 140 is able to build a substantially accurate and current database of hotspots that other users are able to access”) together with a time stamp indicating the time at which the stationary object was detected (¶0063 – “Additional metrics including date/time of discovery of hotspot (i.e., first mapping in HLD), date of last update, historical user ratings, and others may be included”); and
assign a position to the stationary object based on the recorded position (Fig. 3A-3B step 312 and ¶0060-0061 – “When the WIFI hotspot is new, Provider 140 updates the HLD with an entry of this newly discovered/identified hotspot along with its associated GPS coordinate, as provided at block 312… By correlating GPS coordinates with live connections of wireless devices, Provider 140 is able to build a substantially accurate and current database of hotspots that other users are able to access”).
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 1-2, 10-11, 14-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Halcrow et al. (US 20070167174 A1) in view of Wu et al. (US 20200271747 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Halcrow discloses a method for determining a position of a stationary object, the method comprising:
broadcasting, by a transmitter arranged on the stationary object, a signal (¶0007 – “Particularly, the term hotspot refers to the area extending from the wireless access port within which the wireless signal is broadcasted and can be detected by a wireless-enabled/capable user device. "Hotspot" based wireless services are provided by adhoc networks using short-range wireless systems, such as Bluetooth, 802.11 and wireless local area network (WLAN) technology/protocol and provide proximity-based wireless services”);
detecting, by a receiver provided in a first moving object, the presence of the stationary object by receiving the signal (Fig. 3B step 324 and ¶0084 – “The process begins at block 302 and proceeds to block 324, which illustrates the user device detecting a WIFI hotspot. Whenever a hotspot is detected, the user device establishes a connection to the hotspot as shown at block 325”);
determining a position of the first moving object at a time at which the stationary object was detected (Fig. 3A-3B step 308, Fig. 5A step 508, ¶0060 – “Provider 140 then associates the GPS coordinate with the HOT, as indicated at block 308. In an alternate embodiment, the GPS coordinate is included within the HOT. Provider 140 then checks at block 310 whether the GPS coordinate and identified WIFI hotspot is a new WIFI hotspot (i.e., not one already stored within the HLD)”);
recording a position of the stationary object based on the determined position of the first moving object (Fig. 3A-3B step 312 and ¶0060-0061 – “When the WIFI hotspot is new, Provider 140 updates the HLD with an entry of this newly discovered/identified hotspot along with its associated GPS coordinate, as provided at block 312… By correlating GPS coordinates with live connections of wireless devices, Provider 140 is able to build a substantially accurate and current database of hotspots that other users are able to access”) together with a time stamp indicating the time at which the stationary object was detected (¶0063 – “Additional metrics including date/time of discovery of hotspot (i.e., first mapping in HLD), date of last update, historical user ratings, and others may be included”); and
assigning a position to the stationary object based on the recorded position (Fig. 3A-3B step 312, and ¶0060-0061 – “When the WIFI hotspot is new, Provider 140 updates the HLD with an entry of this newly discovered/identified hotspot along with its associated GPS coordinate, as provided at block 312… By correlating GPS coordinates with live connections of wireless devices, Provider 140 is able to build a substantially accurate and current database of hotspots that other users are able to access”).
However, the reference is silent on details about determining a position of a stationary object in an underground environment, wherein the underground environment comprises infrastructure for positioning of moving objects recited in the preamble.
Wu discloses detecting signal in underground environment (Claim 1 – “one of the transmitter and the receiver is a stationary device”; ¶0035 – “More specifically, the present teaching relates to measuring multiple parameters of object motions, namely moving distance, heading direction, and rotating angle in a rich-scattering environment, e.g. an indoor environment or urban metropolitan area, enclosed environment, underground environment”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Halcrow to incorporate ability for tracking object from Wu because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to extract channel information of received signal.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising: associating an uncertainty value to the recorded position of the stationary object (Halcrow – Fig. 7 discloses that the access point location including up time/reliability value – i.e. uncertainty value).
Regarding claim 10, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of the stationary object comprises detecting when the moving object is within a predetermined distance of the stationary object (Halcrow - Fig. 3B step 324 and ¶0084 – “The process begins at block 302 and proceeds to block 324, which illustrates the user device detecting a WIFI hotspot. Whenever a hotspot is detected, the user device establishes a connection to the hotspot as shown at block 325”, which indicated that the moving object is within a predetermined communication range of stationary object).
Regarding claim 11, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the method according to claim 1, comprising communicating the position of the stationary object to a device of a user (Halcrow - Fig. 4A and ¶0070-0073).
Regarding claim 14, the scope and content of the claim recites a system for performing the method of claim 1, therefore, being addressed as in claim 1.
Regarding claim 15, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the system according to claim 14, wherein the transmitter is a Bluetooth transmitter, and the at least one receiver is a Bluetooth receiver (Halcrow - ¶0007 and ¶0038 disclose that the hotspot can be a Bluetooth hotspot).
Regarding claim 16, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the system according to claim 14, wherein the first receiver and/or the processing circuitry and memory are comprised in a handheld unit, such as a consumer tablet or smartphone device (Halcrow – Fig. 1 and ¶0050 – “Specifically, with respect to mobile device 110, the invention is applicable to not only a notebook or laptop computer system but may also be implemented in a portable and/or hand held device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), cell phone, or other hand-held devices, so long as the device is portable, supports wireless and GPS functionality”).
Regarding claim 18, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the system according to claim 14, further comprising a second receiver for repeating the step presented in claim 1, therefore, the step performed by the second receiver is rendered obvious by Halcrow and Wu for the same reason indicated in claim 1: a second receiver arrangeable on a second moving object and configured to receive the signal broadcasted by the transmitter; wherein the system is further operative for: detecting, by the second receiver, the presence of the stationary object by receiving the signal (Fig. 3B step 324 and ¶0084 – “The process begins at block 302 and proceeds to block 324, which illustrates the user device detecting a WIFI hotspot. Whenever a hotspot is detected, the user device establishes a connection to the hotspot as shown at block 325”); determining a position of the second moving object at a time at which the stationary object was detected (Fig. 3A-3B step 308, Fig. 5A step 508, ¶0060 – “Provider 140 then associates the GPS coordinate with the HOT, as indicated at block 308. In an alternate embodiment, the GPS coordinate is included within the HOT. Provider 140 then checks at block 310 whether the GPS coordinate and identified WIFI hotspot is a new WIFI hotspot (i.e., not one already stored within the HLD)”); and recording a position of the stationary object based on the determined position of the second moving object (Fig. 3A-3B step 312 and ¶0060-0061 – “When the WIFI hotspot is new, Provider 140 updates the HLD with an entry of this newly discovered/identified hotspot along with its associated GPS coordinate, as provided at block 312… By correlating GPS coordinates with live connections of wireless devices, Provider 140 is able to build a substantially accurate and current database of hotspots that other users are able to access”) together with a time stamp indicating the time at which the stationary object was detected (¶0063 – “Additional metrics including date/time of discovery of hotspot (i.e., first mapping in HLD), date of last update, historical user ratings, and others may be included”).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Halcrow et al. (US 20070167174 A1) in view of Wu et al. (US 20200271747 A1) and Alizadeh-Shabdiz et al. (US 20110035420 A1).
Regarding claim 5, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the method according to claim 1, however silent on further details about wherein the infrastructure for positioning of moving objects comprises a plurality of access points arranged at known positions in the underground environment, and wherein determining the position of the first moving object comprises comparing a signal strength of two or more access points measured from the first moving object.
Alizadeh-Shabdiz discloses wherein the infrastructure for positioning of moving objects comprises a plurality of access points arranged at known positions, and wherein determining the position of the first moving object comprises comparing a signal strength of two or more access points measured from the first moving object (¶0022 and claim 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Halcrow and Wu to incorporate location determination using access points from Alizadeh-Shabdiz because doing so would applying a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to utilize known location of access point for location determination.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Halcrow et al. (US 20070167174 A1) in view of Wu et al. (US 20200271747 A1) and Ge (US 20160057004 A1).
Regarding claim 17, the combined teaching of Halcrow and Wu discloses the system according to claim 14, however, silent on further details of claim 17.
Ge discloses wherein the first receiver and/or the processing circuitry and memory are comprised in a vehicle of the underground environment, such as a mining vehicle (¶0019, ¶0025, and ¶0031 disclose communication module of onboarding device of mining equipment comprising WLAN capability).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before effective filing date of the claimed the invention, to modify the invention of Halcrow and Wu to incorporate WLAN detection on mining device from Ge because doing so would apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results (MPEP §2141 -III) to utilize network detection and recording method in various environment.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3-4, and 6-9 are 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG HONG whose telephone number is (571)270-7928. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, JINSONG HU, can be reached on (571) 272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DUNG HONG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
Prosecution Insights