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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This action is in response to the application filed October 30, 2024.
3. Claims 1-9 have been examined and are pending with this action.
4. The Information Disclosure Statements filed October 30, 2024 and January 17, 2025 have been considered.
Specification
5. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
(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.
6. Claims 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Vassilovski et al. (US 2023/0379673 A1).
As per claim 1, Vassilovski teaches an information communication system comprising a control unit configured to execute:
receiving a first message requesting the number of objects that satisfy a designated condition including area information (see Vassilovski, [0119]: “The request may include at least one of an indication of the object (e.g., a characteristic of the object) or a type of raw sensor data requested. The type of raw sensor data requested may include at least one of image data, radar data, lidar data, or data from one or more other types of sensors at first wireless device 802.”; and [0148]: “In some aspects, the request comprises at least one of: an indication of the object; or a type of raw sensor data requested, wherein the type of raw sensor data comprises at least one of image data, radar data, or lidar data.”); and
transmitting a second message including the number of objects satisfying the designated condition in response to the receiving of the first message (see Vassilovski, [0112]: “In certain aspects, an originator intelligent transportation system (ITS) station may include such ancillary data in response to a request from a receiving ITS station receiving the sensor sharing message.”; [0115]: “FIG. 8 is a call flow diagram 800 illustrating example signaling for transmitting ancillary data associated with a detected object based on a received request.”; [0120]: “At 818, second wireless device 804 identifies the object at least based on the characteristics of the detected object and the raw sensor data.”; [0126]: “in a sensor sharing message in response to a request from a receiving ITS station, in certain other aspects, such ancillary data may be included in a sensor sharing message when one or more other conditions (e.g., conditions beyond receiving a request from a receiving ITS station) are satisfied. FIG. 9 is a call flow diagram 900 illustrating example signaling for transmitting ancillary data associated with a detected object based on one or more conditions.”; [0135]: “In other words, where the transmitting wireless device receives signaling configuring the device with the one or more conditions, the transmitting wireless device may always include ancillary data corresponding to detected objects in sensor sharing messages (e.g., given the condition is satisfied based solely on receiving the signaling).”; and [0153]: “In some aspects, the one or more conditions comprise whether a confidence level that the object is detected based on processing the one or more raw sensor data sets satisfies a threshold.”).
As per claim 2, which depends on claim 1, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the designated condition includes at least any one of an object type, an object shape, and an object moving speed, in addition to the area information (see Vassilovski, [0024]: “The sensor sharing messages may contain characteristics (e.g., abstractions) about a particular object and may be directed to an ITS station or broadcast for ITS stations in the vicinity, thereby allowing a receiving ITS station to determine a location of the perceived object. The ITS station may determine, for example a location and/or other characteristics (e.g., velocity, speed, size, etc.), of the perceived object based, at least, on the information in the received sensor sharing message. It should be noted that though certain aspects are described with respect to ITS stations and V2X communication, the techniques are similarly applicable to other suitable devices and/or types of communication.”; and [0027]: “As used herein, raw sensor data refers to data obtained from a sensor prior to extraction of one or more characteristics (e.g., object abstractions such as length, width, height, location, speed, etc.).”).
As per claim 3, which depends on claim 1, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the first message includes information related to a transmission trigger for the second message, the control unit transmits the second message when the transmission trigger is satisfied, and the transmission trigger is any one of conditions that: the number of objects is within a predetermined range; the number of objects has changed; or a certain length of time has elapsed (see Vassilovski, [0029]: “According to aspects described herein, the one or more conditions may be related to at least one of a configuration received at a transmitting ITS station, a request received at a transmitting ITS station, noise present in the raw sensor data, climate conditions of the environment when an object is detected, a confidence level in the accuracy of a detected object, a type of the object detected, a type of the transmitting and/or receiving ITS stations, a channel condition, a type of the environment where an object is detected, and/or the like.”).
As per claim 4, which depends on claim 1, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the area information is of an overlapping area where a first area and a second area overlap each other, and the designated condition includes whether a direction of movement of an object is a direction from the first area toward the second area (see Vassilovski, [0036]: “Each of BSs 102 may provide communications coverage for a respective geographic coverage area 110, which may sometimes be referred to as a cell, and which may overlap in some cases (e.g., small cell 102′ may have a coverage area 110′ that overlaps the coverage area 110 of a macro cell). A BS may, for example, provide communications coverage for a macro cell (covering relatively large geographic area), a pico cell (covering relatively smaller geographic area, such as a sports stadium), a femto cell (relatively smaller geographic area (e.g., a home)), and/or other types of cells.”).
As per claim 5, which depends on claim 1, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the designated condition includes a condition that the object is a user terminal under a predetermined contract (see Vassilovski, [0130]: “In particular, in certain aspects, at 908, first wireless device 902 may receive, from network entity 906, signaling configuring first wireless device 902 with one or more conditions. In other words, network entity 906 may select the one or more conditions for including, in at least one message, raw sensor data corresponding to a detected object and transmit, to first wireless device 902, signaling configuring first wireless device 902 with the selected condition(s). The various conditions which may be selected by network entity 906 are described in more detail below. In certain other aspects, first wireless device 902 may be pre-configured with the one or more conditions.”; and [0131]: “When, at 914, first wireless device 914 determines that one or more of the condition(s) are satisfied, at 916, first wireless device 902 transmits at least one message comprising information regarding the detected object.”).
As per claim 6, which depends on claim 1, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the control unit acquires object-related information sensed by another device, and transmits the second message based on the acquired information (see Vassilovski, [0131]: “When, at 914, first wireless device 914 determines that one or more of the condition(s) are satisfied, at 916, first wireless device 902 transmits at least one message comprising information regarding the detected object.”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
7. Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vassilovski et al. (US 2023/0379673 A1) in view of Livnat et al. (US 2019/0272509 A1).
As per claim 7, Vassilovski teaches an information processing system including a plurality of servers having a dynamically allocatable resource, the information processing system comprising a control unit configured:
to transmit a first message requesting the number of objects that satisfy a designated condition including area information (see Vassilovski, [0119]: “The request may include at least one of an indication of the object (e.g., a characteristic of the object) or a type of raw sensor data requested. The type of raw sensor data requested may include at least one of image data, radar data, lidar data, or data from one or more other types of sensors at first wireless device 802.”; and [0148]: “In some aspects, the request comprises at least one of: an indication of the object; or a type of raw sensor data requested, wherein the type of raw sensor data comprises at least one of image data, radar data, or lidar data.”); and
to receive a second message including the number of objects satisfying the designated condition (see Vassilovski, [0029]: “According to aspects described herein, the one or more conditions may be related to at least one of a configuration received at a transmitting ITS station, a request received at a transmitting ITS station, noise present in the raw sensor data, climate conditions of the environment when an object is detected, a confidence level in the accuracy of a detected object, a type of the object detected, a type of the transmitting and/or receiving ITS stations, a channel condition, a type of the environment where an object is detected, and/or the like.”; [0112]: “In certain aspects, an originator intelligent transportation system (ITS) station may include such ancillary data in response to a request from a receiving ITS station receiving the sensor sharing message.”; [0115]: “FIG. 8 is a call flow diagram 800 illustrating example signaling for transmitting ancillary data associated with a detected object based on a received request.”; [0120]: “At 818, second wireless device 804 identifies the object at least based on the characteristics of the detected object and the raw sensor data.”; [0126]: “in a sensor sharing message in response to a request from a receiving ITS station, in certain other aspects, such ancillary data may be included in a sensor sharing message when one or more other conditions (e.g., conditions beyond receiving a request from a receiving ITS station) are satisfied. FIG. 9 is a call flow diagram 900 illustrating example signaling for transmitting ancillary data associated with a detected object based on one or more conditions.”; [0135]: “In other words, where the transmitting wireless device receives signaling configuring the device with the one or more conditions, the transmitting wireless device may always include ancillary data corresponding to detected objects in sensor sharing messages (e.g., given the condition is satisfied based solely on receiving the signaling).”; and [0153]: “In some aspects, the one or more conditions comprise whether a confidence level that the object is detected based on processing the one or more raw sensor data sets satisfies a threshold.”).
Vassilovski does not explicitly teach to allocate a resource suitable for the number of objects, to a server corresponding to the area information.
Livnat teaches allocating a resource suitable for the number of objects, to a server corresponding to the area information (see Livnat, [0151]: “the optimal space reservation determination and scheduling module (211) is able to provide a just-in-time (JIT) allocation or re-allocation of a particular sharable resource (e.g. a meeting room, a conference hall, a lecture hall, an office equipment, etc.) when a meeting time approaches a JIT threshold value (e.g. 30 minutes prior to the scheduled meeting time), based on dynamically-changing parameters gathered and analyzed from real-time occupancy information, resource object status information, calendar availability information, participants' location and behavioral characteristics analysis, and historical information associated with potential participants and resource objects that may have been accumulated over time via the system database (217) and/or sensors and cameras located in the premises.”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Vassilovski in view of Livnat by implementing allocating a resource suitable for the number of objects, to a server corresponding to the area information. One would be motivated to do so because allocating or provisioning resources are well-known, routine, and conventional for processing, communicating, storing, or the like faster or more quickly, and/or efficiently and because Vassilovski teaches in paragraph [0098], “In Mode 2, when traffic arrives at a transmitting UE, the transmitting UE may select resources for PSCCH and PSSCH, and/or reserve resources for retransmissions to minimize latency. Therefore, in conventional configurations the transmitting UE may select resources for PSSCH associated with PSCCH for initial transmission and blind retransmissions, which incurs unnecessary resources and the related power consumption.”.
As per claim 8, which depends on claim 7, Vassilovski and Livnat further teaches wherein the second message includes the number of objects for each object type; and the control unit is configured to allocate a resource suitable for the number of objects corresponding to the object type, to a server corresponding to the area information (see Claim 7 rejection above).
As per claim 9, which depends on claim 7, Vassilovski further teaches wherein the control unit is configured to allocate the resource based on the second message before a service of the information processing system is started (see Vassilovski, [0098]: “In Mode 2, when traffic arrives at a transmitting UE, the transmitting UE may select resources for PSCCH and PSSCH, and/or reserve resources for retransmissions to minimize latency. Therefore, in conventional configurations the transmitting UE may select resources for PSSCH associated with PSCCH for initial transmission and blind retransmissions, which incurs unnecessary resources and the related power consumption.”).
Conclusion
8. For the reasons above, claims 1-9 have been rejected and remain pending.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL Y WON whose telephone number is (571)272-3993. The examiner can normally be reached on Wk.1: M-F: 8-5 PST & Wk.2: M-Th: 8-7 PST.
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, Nicholas R Taylor can be reached on 571-272-3889. 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.
/Michael Won/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443