DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
Claim(s) (1-10) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a-1) as being anticipated by Jones (9280559).
Regarding claim 8: Jones discloses an apparatus for determining the boundary of a wireless fence/(geofence/rf zoning/range/rf fence) based on progressive distance triggering, wherein the apparatus is a wireless fence product for a pet (as depicted in figure 4 of Jones and see associated descriptions for details, and col. 8, lines 21-36 of Jones) and comprises:
a distance detection module used for detecting a real-time distance between a target device and a central point of a wireless fence according to a distance detection period, wherein at least two concentric circles are set with the central point of the wireless fence as a center, and each circle denotes a range radius (col. 14, lines 40-48 of Jones);
an action level updating module used for triggering and generating a new device action level when the real-time distance is updated, wherein the new device action level corresponds to the range radius (col. 17, lines 49-60 of Jones);
one device action level is set between a minimum range radius and the central point, one device action level is set between every two adjacent range radii, and one device action level is set beyond a maximum range radius (col. 18, lines 4-12 of Jones);
the device action levels are in positive correlation with the range radius (col. 18, lines 4-12 of Jones);
a state determination module used for determining where there is a current device action that is being performed at present, wherein the current device action corresponds to a current device action level, and one device action level corresponds to one device action (col. 22, lines 24-29 of Jones);
the device actions corresponding to the device action levels comprise no action, a sound warning, a sound and vibration warning, and a sound, vibration and current warning in a descending order of an intensity level (col. 18, line 53 to col. 19, line 2 of Jones);
and an action performing module used for comparing the new device action level with the current device action level when there is a current device action that is being performed at present, and stopping performing the current device action, not performing a new action and marking the current device action level as the new device action level when the new device action level is lower than the current device action level (col. 18, line 53 to col. 19, line 2 of Jones). Thus, Jones disclosed geofencing for pet/animal thereof.
Regarding claim 9: Jones discloses a wireless fence, comprising a processor, a memory, a communication interface and a communication bus, wherein the processor, the memory and the communication interface communicate with each other by means of the communication bus; the memory is used for storing at least one executable instruction, and the executable instruction instructs the processor to perform operations of the method for determining the boundary of a wireless fence based on progressive distance triggering according to any one of claims 1-7 (col. 20, lines 5-28 of Jones).
Regarding claim 10: Jones discloses a computer-readable storage medium, wherein at least one executable instruction is stored in the storage medium, and when the executable instruction runs on a device for determining the boundary of a wireless fence based on progressive distance triggering, the device for determining the boundary of a wireless fence based on progressive distance triggering performs operations of the method for determining the boundary of a wireless fence based on progressive distance Abhyanker (8874489), Ehrman et al (11330803), Lazarevic (10863718) and Womble et al (10049278) are cited for geofence boundary managements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to K. Wong whose telephone number is (571) 272-7566.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, D. Goins can be reached at (571) 272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K. WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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