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 .
This Office action is responsive to the communication received on 10/20/2024. Claims 1- 20 are pending herein, of which the claim(s) 1, 14, & 15 is/are in independent form.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In para. 068, line 25, the word “itt” (“dressing room, a balcony, a kitchen, a hallway, etc., and itt can also be considered”) should be “it”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The amended drawings submitted on 11/07/2024 are acceptable and entered.
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 2, 7, & 16-18 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.
Regarding claim 2, the claim recites “generating a scene control instruction for the multiple devices” in lines 6- 7. The claim 1 upon which the claim 2 depends also recites “obtaining a scene control instruction for multiple devices” in line 3 and “if at least one first device is identified, sending the scene control instruction to” in line 8. However, the claim 2 fails to clarify the relationship for the phrase “a scene control instruction” in claim 2 and same recitation in claim 1. That is, it is not clear whether this phrase of claim 2 correspond to same “scene control instruction” of claim 1 or correspond to different “scene control instruction” thereby rendering the scope of the claim indefinite.
For the examination purpose, “generating a scene control instruction for the multiple devices” of claim 2 is interpreted as “generating the [[a]] scene control instruction for the multiple devices”.
Regarding claim 7, the claim depends on claim 6 which already recites “a third device in multiple devices” in line 6. However, the claim 7 recites “a third device in multiple devices comprises” in lines 3 & 5. Therefore, the claim 7 fails to clarify whether this limitation of the claim 7 corresponds to same “a third device in multiple devices” recited in claim 6 or different limitation thereby rendering the scope of the claim.
For the examination purpose, this limitation is interpreted as “[[a]] the third device in multiple devices comprises” in both lines 3 & 5.
Regarding claim 16, the claim recites a limitation “the at least two devices establishing the virtual device” in lines 1- 2. However, there is insufficient antecedent basis in the claim for this limitation. Furthermore, it appears that due to typographical error, claim 16 is drafted as being dependent on claim 5 instead of claim 15. Please note that, currently claim 16 depends on claim 5, which further depends on claim 1. Here, claim 16 does not depend on claim 15 and none of the claims 1, 5, &16 previously recite “two devices” and “virtual device” before reciting this limitation thereby rendering the scope of the claim indefinite.
For the examination purpose, claim 16 as being interpreted as being dependent on independent claim 15. This is because claim 16 requires displaying control entrance and other majority of claimed limitations and it appears to the examiner that applicant accidentally drafted claim 16 being dependent on claim 5 rather than claim 15 due to a typographical error. That is, “The method according to claim 5,” of claim 16 is interpreted as “The device control method according to claim [[5] 15,”.
Regarding claims 17- 18, they are also rejected because of their dependency with the rejected claim 16.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1- 5, 8- 12, & 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (1) as being anticipated by Li (1CN 114280949 A, Publication Date: 2022-04-05 which is before the filing date of 04-21-2022 for this application).
Note: The cited paragraphs of Li are from the attached machine translated FOR document rather than from the original Li’s CN document.
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches a device control [controlling of “multiple execution devices 200” of “group control operation of multiple household devices is realized” from “a control device 100” using “one-key shortcut operations on multiple home devices”] method executed by a server end [“the server 300 may perform data interaction with the control device 100 and the execution device 200 through a network”; the control device 100 of fig. 1 or item 300 of fig. 3 is connected to the server and therefore can be mapped as server end as claimed under BRI], wherein the method comprises: (figs. 1-2, [2005, 012, 029-033, 072]);
obtaining a scene control instruction [“receiving control instructions” by a receiving module of the “intelligent control device” like device 100; Fig. 2, “Step S110: Receive a control instruction”, “control device 100 can be used to receive control instructions” to implement “When the user needs to perform group control operations on multiple execution devices, the user can input a control command in the terminal”] for multiple devices [“plurality of execution device 200” of “multiple home devices” or “smart devices” with memory and processor like discussed in para. 051 such as “smart audio, smart TVs, smart lamps”], wherein the scene control instruction is configured to instruct the multiple devices to execute corresponding scene actions respectively ([009-010, 030-031, 037, 042]);
identifying first devices [“the plurality of execution devices may be grouped into at least one device group in advance”. The “grouped” execution devices are mapped as “first devices”] in the multiple devices, wherein the first device is a device that has been configured [the device being in first state group from “grouped state may include a first state for representing a grouped state” and “the control device can obtain binding information of the device group, and the binding information can be used to represent the binding status of the multiple execution devices”] with scene action record; if at least one first device is identified [“according to the grouped state of the plurality of execution devices,”], sending the scene control instruction [“According to the group status of the multiple execution devices, send the control instruction to the multiple execution devices in a multicast manner”] to the first devices in a multicast transmission mode to instruct the first devices to respond to the scene control instruction and synchronously execute [“multicast manner” performing of “execute the device intelligent control method provided by the above-mentioned first aspect.”] a scene action recorded for the first devices in the scene action record ([010, 031, 038, 044-047, 058, 079]).
Regarding claim 2, Li teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining a scene control instruction for multiple devices comprises:
receiving device state data [“Step S131: Detect feedback information of multiple execution devices within a first preset time period”] sent by the multiple devices, wherein the device state data is configured to indicate device states of the devices ([053-058]);
according to the received device state data, if it is determined that trigger conditions [e.g., one or more third execution devices are not receiving previous commands] in device associated data are met, generating a scene control instruction [“send the control command to the third execution device again by multicast or unicast according to the group state of the third execution device”] for the multiple devices according to scene actions correspondingly executed by the multiple devices in the device associated data ([049-056]).
Regarding claim 3, Li teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the identifying first devices [grouped devices] in the multiple devices comprises:
based on the scene control instruction [group control operations on devices], performing configuration detection of scene action record for the devices, determining at least one first device that has completed [grouping is completed] configuration and/or at least one second device that has not performed configuration [in a group or not in the group determination of fig. 2]; the sending [“Step S130: According to the group status of the multiple execution devices, send the control instruction to the multiple execution devices in a multicast manner or a unicast manner”] the scene control instruction to the first devices in a multicast transmission mode comprises: using at least one first device as a multicast member [using multicast for the grouped devices to send control instructions], sending the scene control instruction to the multicast member (Fig. 2 [044-046]).
Regarding claim 4, Li teaches the method according to claim 3, after the identifying first devices in the multiple devices, further comprising:
if at least one second device [not grouped devices detection and performing of “unicast” control command sending action] is identified, respectively sending a device control instruction corresponding to a scene control instruction to the second devices in a unicast transmission mode, thereby making the second devices respectively respond to the device control instruction and execute a corresponding scene action ([044- 045, 055]).
Regarding claim 5, Li teaches the method according to claim 1, after the sending the scene control instruction to the first devices in a multicast transmission mode, further comprising:
for each first device, receiving device state data [“working information of the device is detected”] sent by the first device, wherein the device state data is configured to indicate a device state of the first device after executing the scene action; if it is detected that reception of the device state data of the first device has timeout, re-sending [third devices (that do not receive previous command(s)) can be send “the control command…again by multicast or unicast according to the group state of the third execution device”] the scene control instruction to the first devices in the multicast transmission mode ([049-050], Figs. 3-5).
Regarding claim 8, Li teaches method according to claim 1, wherein the scene control instruction comprises a virtual device control instruction [“implement one-key shortcut operations on multiple home devices”] configured to instruct a 3virtual device [“divide multiple home devices into a device group in advance”] to execute a set scene action, the virtual device is established by at least two first devices [devices part of the group] that record at least one identical scene action, and the set scene action belongs to scene actions recorded by the at least two first devices; the obtaining a scene control instruction for multiple devices comprises: receiving [“one-key shortcut operations on multiple home devices”] the virtual device control instruction; the sending the scene control instruction to the first devices in a multicast transmission mode to instruct the first devices to respond to the scene control instruction and synchronously execute a scene action recorded for the first devices in the scene action record comprises: sending [“send the control instruction to the multiple execution devices”, and “the user can input a control command in the terminal…control instruction is sent to the control device”] the virtual device control instruction to at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode, thereby making the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device respond to the scene control instruction and synchronously [multicast] execute the set scene action ([005, 029, 042-047]).
Regarding claim 9, Li further teaches the method according to claim 8, before the sending the virtual device control instruction to at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode, further comprising:
based on the virtual device control instruction, performing virtual device configuration detection for the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device to determine at least one first device that has completed [“divide multiple home devices into a device group in advance”] virtual device configuration; the sending the virtual device control instruction to at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode comprises: using at least one of the first devices as a multicast member [“send the control instructions to the multiple execution devices 200 in a multicast or unicast manner, so as to control the work of the multiple execution devices 200 at the same time”], and sending the virtual device control instruction to the multicast member ([029-031, 044-052]).
Regarding claim 10, Li further teaches the method according to claim 9, before the sending the virtual device control instruction to at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode, further comprising:
for at least one second device that has not completed [not part of the group yet] virtual device configuration in the multiple devices, sending the virtual device control instruction to each second device respectively in a unicast transmission mode [“send the control instructions to the multiple execution devices 200 in a multicast or unicast manner”], thereby making each second device respectively respond to the virtual device control instruction and execute the set scene action ([029- 031]).
Regarding claim 11, Li teaches the method according to claim 9, before the based on the virtual device control instruction, performing virtual device configuration detection for the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device to determine at least one first device that has completed virtual device configuration, further comprising:
receiving virtual device configuration data [identifying “the group status of the plurality of execution devices”], wherein the virtual device configuration data is configured to indicate that the virtual device is established by at least two first devices that record at least one identical scene action; based on the virtual device configuration data, requesting the first devices that establish [“when multiple execution devices are grouped, it means that the grouped states of the multiple execution devices are all in the first state, and the multiple execution devices can be recorded as the first device group”] the virtual device to perform virtual device configuration ([038-042, 044-048]).
Regarding claim 12, Li teaches the method according to claim 8, wherein after the sending the virtual device control instruction to at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode, further comprising:
for each of the first devices that establish the virtual device, receiving device state data [“working information of the device is detected”] reported by the first device, wherein the device state data is generated by the first device responding the virtual device control instruction to execute the set scene action, and configured to indicate a device state of the first device after executing the set scene action; if it is detected that reporting of the device state data has timeout [“that there are multiple execution devices that have not received control instructions”, “within the first preset time period”], re-sending [“the control device can send the control command to the third execution device again by multicast or unicast”] the virtual device control instruction to the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device in the multicast transmission mode ([049-055]).
Regarding claim 14, Li teaches a device control method executed by a smart device, wherein the method comprises: ([029]);
receiving a scene control instruction [“the group control instruction”] for multiple devices [“multiple execution devices 200”], wherein the scene control instruction is configured to instruct the multiple devices to execute corresponding scene actions respectively ([029-031]);
based on configured scene action record [“execution devices may be grouped into at least one device group”], and in response to the scene control instruction, executing a scene action [“multiple execution devices” performing of one key short cut operation] related to the smart device oneself in the scene action record ([036-038, 050-005, 051]).
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(s) 6-7 & 15- 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (CN114280949A) in view of Li-034 (CN 110290034 A, Publication Date: 2019-09-27).
Regarding claim 15, Li teaches a device control method executed by a user terminal [terminal like mobile device in communication with a server 300 that communicates with the control device 100 and execution/household devices 200], wherein the method comprises: ([042-043]);
establishing a virtual device [“divide multiple home devices into a device group in advance”; the “device group” is interpreted as “virtual device” that includes multiple devices and is virtual since it is logical representation for multiple physical devices 200], wherein the virtual device is established by at least two devices that are allowed to execute at least one identical scene action ([029, 042-045]);
in response to a trigger operation4 [“the user can input a control command in the terminal”] for the 5control entrance [the user interface (buttons, links etc.) of the terminal device that communicates with the server 300 which communicates with the control device 100 to control executing/household devices 200], generating a virtual device control instruction [“the terminal responds to the received control command, and forwards the control command to the server through the network, and the server receives and responds to the control command”], wherein the virtual device control instruction is configured to instruct the virtual device [making the group to execute the command via multicast] to execute a set scene action corresponding to the control entrance, wherein the set scene action belongs to scene actions that are allowed to be executed by the at least two devices establishing the virtual device ([042-046, 079]);
sending [“Step S130: According to the group status of the multiple execution devices, send the control instruction to the multiple execution devices in a multicast manner or a unicast manner”] the virtual device control instruction to the virtual device, thereby making the at least two device establishing the virtual device respond the virtual device control instruction and synchronously execute the set scene action ([029, 042- 047, 083]).
Li may not teach displaying at least one control entrance for a virtual device although Li does teach using of a virtual device by performing “divide multiple home devices into a device group in advance” (Li, paras. 029, 038). Thus, Li may not teach “displaying at least one control entrance for a virtual device” as claimed but this deficiency is cured by Li-034.
Li-034 relates to centralized and unified/grouped remote control of pluralities of smart devices by pre-binding those devices and controlling devices to simultaneously enter a state corresponding to the centralized control mode ([009-011, 070]). Specifically, Li-034 teaches a device control method executed by a user terminal, wherein the method comprises:
displaying at least one control entrance [“the “device” option can be set in the corresponding interface, and when the user clicks the option, the user is presented with all the devices currently bound”] for a virtual device [“device to be controlled may have multiple devices”] wherein the virtual device is established by at least two devices that are allowed to execute at least one identical scene action ([058 – 064, 073, 0105]),
in response to a trigger operation [“receiving the triggering operation of the user to the preset centralized control mode, all the devices that are bound are controlled to enter the working mode”] for the control entrance generating a virtual device control instruction [“Step 104: Control the device by using the control function: para. 078: “the mobile phone client to transmit a corresponding control command”], wherein the virtual device control instruction is configured to instruct the virtual device to execute a set scene action [“the centralized control mode …one-button temperature adjustment, full-open, full-close, home, and away from home. among them”] corresponding to the control entrance, wherein the set scene action belongs to scene actions that are allowed [having “the control permission”] to be executed by the at least two devices establishing the virtual device ([062-074, 0120]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have (1) combined Li-034 and Li because they both related to a user device to establish a group of devices (virtual device) to perform unified control of the pluralities of devices with a single command and (2) modified the system/method of Li for displaying at least one control entrance for a virtual device as in Li-034 in order to allow user to display the lists of devices in the group or make changes (on which device to include in the group and which to delete) in group. Furthermore, doing so would allow users to make changes (add/delete or modify) easily to devices participating in the group (virtual device) with binding information of Li at any time and provide additional flexibility (Li [079] & Li-034 [088]).
Regarding claim 16, Li in view of Li-034 teaches/suggests the method according to claim 5, wherein in the at least two devices establishing the virtual device, one of the devices serves as a target device [the very first device that is already as part of the group as part of “binds one or more devices in advance and sets a centralized control mode”], and the remained devices serve as candidate devices [devices to be added later to the group by “user clicks the “Add Device” option”]; before the displaying at least one control entrance for a virtual device, the method further comprises: displaying the target device in a device list page [displaying currently available devices of the group before deciding to add new devices into the group as part of [0107]: “displaying the bound device after receiving the triggering operation of the user, or actively displaying the device after the device is started”]; determining at least one of the candidate devices based on the virtual device establishing instruction for the target device; displaying [final displaying of the all available devices after adding one or more devices into the group] the virtual device established by the target device and at least one of the candidate devices in the device list page (Li [079] & Li-034 [083, 0107, 0111, 0120]).
Regarding claim 17, Li in view of Li-034 teaches/suggests the method according to claim 16, before the determining at least one of the candidate devices based on the virtual device establishing instruction for the target device, further comprising:
displaying a virtual device establishing entrance [display page in the mobile device that communicates with the server for add/delete from the group] corresponding to the target device; in response to a trigger operation to the virtual device establishing entrance, generating the virtual device establishing instruction (Li-034 [058]).
Regarding claim 18, Li in view of Li-034 teaches/suggests the method according to claim 16, wherein the determining at least one of the candidate devices based on the virtual device establishing instruction for the target device comprises:
in response to the virtual device establishing instruction [process of making the group for unified control of devices “according to the binding information”], displaying at least one recommended device, wherein the recommended device is a first device of which at least one scene action allowed [permission/security/same type/area where the device is to be located factors to make a group decision] to be executed is the same as that of the target device; in response a second selection operation [“shared control interface displays the device that can be shared or is bound to the user”] for at least one displayed recommended device, determining a selected recommended device as the determined candidate device (Li [079-081] & Li-034 [061, 070, 090, 0109]).
Regarding claim 19, Li in view of Li-034 teaches/suggests the method according to claim 15, wherein the displaying at least one control entrance [user interface in terminal/PDA device] or a virtual device comprises: in response to a third selection operation for the virtual device displayed in a device list page, displaying a device detail page [screen that “displays devices that can be shared or all devices that are bound to the user”] of the virtual device; displaying at least one control entrance in the device detail page of the virtual device (Li [072] & Li-034 [0107, 0121]).
Regarding claim 20, Li in view of Li-034 teaches/suggests the method according to claim 15, wherein set scene actions corresponding to different control entrances have different [“one key temperature adjustment, full open, full off, home, and away from home”] scene action types, and the at least two devices establishing the virtual device are configured to respond the virtual device control instruction to synchronously [“sending module 330 sends the control instruction to the multiple executing devices in a multicast”] execute a set scene action matching a scene action type supported by themselves; wherein the scene action type supported by the at least two devices themselves is configured to indicate [“feedback information”] a scene action recorded by the at least two devices (Li [010-0102] & Li-034 [0108]).
Regarding claim 6, Li teaches the method according to claim 1 as discussed above including forming of “multiple home devices into a device group in advance” ([005]).
However, Li fails to teach the method further comprising: receiving scene configuration data, wherein the scene configuration data indicates at least scene actions which are configured to be allowed to be executed by multiple devices; based on the scene configuration data, requesting performing configuration of scene action record for a third device in multiple devices, wherein the third device is a device that supports the configuration of scene action record.
Li fails to teach wherein the scene configuration data indicates at least scene actions which are configured to be allowed to be executed by multiple devices.
Li-034 relates to centralized and unified/grouped remote control of pluralities of smart devices by pre-binding those devices and controlling devices to simultaneously enter a state corresponding to the centralized control mode ([009-011, 070]). Specifically, Li-034 teaches a device control method comprising:
receiving scene configuration data [receiving of adding or deleting command], wherein the scene configuration data indicates at least scene actions which are configured to be allowed [“control permission”] to be executed by multiple devices; based on the scene configuration data, requesting performing configuration of scene action record for a third device [new device adding into the group of devices for “unified control of devices within the same group”] in multiple devices, wherein the third device is a device that supports the configuration of scene action record ([071, 0113-011, 0120]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have (1) combined Li-034 and Li because they both related to performing unified control of pluralities of devices for a single user command and (2) modified the method of Li include missing limitations from Li-034. Furthermore, Li-034 teaches missing details for Li about how (by adding devices or deleting devices and also factoring the “permission” in a user interface of the terminal device) its system can form a device group in advance so that it can decide whether to perform control execution in multi-cast or unicast mode (Li [030] &Li-034 [008-089]). Therefore, Li in view of Li-034 teaches each limitation of the claim and renders invention of this claim obvious to PHOSITA.
Regarding claim 7, Li in view of Li-034 further teaches the method according to claim 6, wherein the based on the scene configuration data, requesting performing configuration of scene action record for a third device in multiple devices comprises:
based on multiple devices indicated by the scene configuration data, determining a third device [new device that is not yet part of the group] in the multiple devices; obtaining snapshot configuration data [information that indicates types of the devices from “bound devices can be the same type of devices”] associated with the determined third device from the scene configuration data, wherein the snapshot configuration data is configured to indicate a scene action that is configured to be allowed [“control permission”] to be executed by the third device; sending the snapshot configuration data to the associated third device, making the third device performing configuration of scene action record according to the snapshot configuration data, wherein the third device is transformed into the first device that has completed configuration in a case that the configuration of scene action record is completed (Li [029], Li-034 [088-090, 0111]: adding new devices into the “the device group” and causing added device to perform the same unified task as already added device).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li (CN114280949A) in view of Ikawa (US 20030012134 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Li teaches method according to claim 8 comprising executing on the virtual device control instruction so that multiple devices change operational state simultaneously as partners for the same scene command as outlined above. Li further teaches causing its multiple devices to be operated in same operational mode as part of performing one-key shortcut operations on multiple home devices ([005, 051]).
However, Li fails to resolve the issue when its multiple home devices are in conflicting operational modes and commanded to change operational mode (activate/deactivate) simultaneously during the conflicting operational modes. Therefore, Li fails to teach based on the virtual device control instruction, performing virtual device marking process for the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device, thereby controlling the at least two first devices to maintain the same device state when device states of the at least two first devices are different. That is, Li fails to teach how to handle the situation when some of its grouped devices are in conflicting operational states although they are supposed to be in same state after executing the virtual device control instruction.
Ikawa teaches synchronous operating of the pluralities of terminal stations working as partners by changing operational states of these pluralities of terminal stations ([006, 051]). Specifically, Ikawa teaches method steps comprising performing virtual device marking process for the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device, thereby controlling the at least two first devices to maintain [“comparing the detected operation mode of the opposite station with the operation mode of the own station. Thus, the supervisor of the network can operate so as to match the modes of both terminal stations.”] the same device state [mismatched mode is changed to “match the modes of both terminal station”] when device states of the at least two first devices are different ([032-035, 057]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have (1) combined Ikawa and Li because they both related to operating pluralities of smart devices working as partners at the same time and (2) modified the method of Li performing virtual device marking process for the at least two first devices that establish the virtual device, thereby controlling the at least two first devices to maintain the same device state when device states of the at least two first devices are different as suggested in Ikawa. Doing so would resolve issue of operational/working state mismatch/conflict between different devices of the same group that required to response to same command using multicast mode (Ikawa [051] & Li [072]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
1) Gonzales (US 20050055108 A1) teaches automatically controlling the operation of a plurality of products and/or appliances to create a scene (Claim 2).
2) Lea (US 20150081071 A1) teaches an operator can simultaneously trigger actions on thousands of devices in a single geographic area, or all over the world, if connected via radio, television, or a network or other apparatus ([013]).
Contacts
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANTOSH R. POUDEL whose telephone number is (571)272-2347. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 am - 5:00 pm).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamini Shah can be reached at (571) 272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SANTOSH R POUDEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2115
1 See attached CN FOR document. The cited paragraphs are from the machine translated document of the CN FOR document.
2 “When the existing smart home control system needs to implement one-key shortcut operations on multiple home devices, it is often necessary to successfully divide multiple home devices into a device group in advance, and then send group control instructions to the device group”
3 The spec states the grouping of the two more devices to execute same scene action as “a virtual device” rather than digital twin of the devices, see spec, para. 009 “virtual device is established by at least two devices that are allowed to execute at least one identical scene action”.
4 See spec, para 063, “Among them, the clicking operation of the user is regarded as a trigger operation for the scene configuration entrance”
5 See Spec, paras. 010, 0161-0163 that describes one or more soft buttons to change program/change scene as “control entrance”.
Prosecution Insights