DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim 1, 4-5, 7-10, 13-14, 16-19, 22-23, and 25-27 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Abraham (US 2013/0250931 A1) in view of McCormack (US 2012/0082062 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Abraham teaches an electric load configuration apparatus, comprising: user interface circuitry [(111, 1116, para 0030-0035, Fig. 1); an electronic device including a processor, memory, and wireless communication circuitry (e.g., transmitter 111 and receiver 116) configured to perform discovery operations]; first communication interface circuitry that uses a first communication protocol [(para 0030-0035, Fig. 1); Abraham teaches wireless communication circuitry including transmitter 111 and receiver 116 operating using a wireless communication protocol such as IEEE 802.11]; memory circuitry; and control circuitry operatively coupled to the first communication interface circuitry and to the memory circuitry [an electronic device including a processor, memory, and wireless communication circuitry (e.g., transmitter 111 and receiver 116) configured to perform discovery operations (para 0030-0035, Fig. 1); The processor corresponds to the claimed control circuitry, the memory storing discovery parameters corresponds to the claimed memory circuitry, the transmitter/receiver correspond to the first communication interface circuitry, and user interaction components (e.g., display/application interface) correspond to the user interface circuitry)] the control circuitry to: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a first input indicative of an electric load device discovery range;[(para 0035-0038, Fig. 3 (302), Fig. 4 (402)) ;Abraham teaches determining a discovery range threshold at a device, which may be set locally or received via a programming message, representing the spatial discovery scope. It would have been obvious to provide such threshold via user interface input, as user-configurable parameters for device operation are well known] determine a discovery signal strength that corresponds to the received device discovery range [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 3 (304), Fig. 4 (404)); Abraham teaches adjusting transmission attributes (e.g., transmit power and/or MCS) based on the discovery range threshold so that only devices within the range decode the discovery message, corresponding to determining signal strength from range]; cause a broadcast via the first communication interface circuitry of the discovery signal at the determined broadcast discovery signal strength using a first communication protocol; [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 4 (408)); Abraham teaches transmitting a discovery message (e.g., IEEE 802.11 beacon or management frame) using the adjusted transmission parameters such that only devices within the defined range decode the broadcast]; receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control source devices and a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control target devices; [(para 0043-0046, Fig. 5 (520-524)); Abraham teaches that devices within the discovery range decode the discovery message and participate in subsequent communication, including response communications (e.g., control frames or range-determination messages), while devices outside the range discard the message].
Abraham doesn’t expressly teach receive a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices.
In an analogous art, McCormack teaches receive a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices [a wireless load-control commissioning system including control-source devices (e.g., remote or mobile control devices) and control-target devices (e.g., lighting and other loads); (para 0009-0011, para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches commissioning in which a joining device is configured to maintain user-defined binding relations, group assignments, and group-scene settings between control devices and load devices. These define and store relationships between control-source and control-target devices, thereby specifying which control devices control which load devices]
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the device binding and relationship configuration of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to enable user-defined associations between control-source and control-target devices discovered within a defined range, thereby providing localized and intuitive configuration of load-control systems with predictable results.
Regarding claim 10, Abraham teaches 10 an electric load configuration method, comprising: receiving by control circuitry via user interface circuitry, a first input indicative of an electric load device discovery range [(para 0035-0038, Fig. 3 (302), Fig. 4 (402)); Abraham teaches determining a discovery range threshold at a device, which may be set locally or received via a programming message, representing the spatial discovery scope. It would have been obvious to provide such threshold via user interface input, as user-configurable parameters for device operation are well known];
determining by the control circuitry, a discovery signal strength corresponding to the received device discovery range [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 3 (304), Fig. 4 (404)); Abraham teaches adjusting transmission attributes (e.g., transmit power and/or MCS) based on the discovery range threshold so that only devices within the range decode the discovery message, corresponding to determining signal strength from range]; causing by the control circuitry a broadcast via first communication interface circuitry of the discovery signal at the determined broadcast discovery signal strength using a first communication protocol [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 4 (408)); Abraham teaches transmitting a discovery message (e.g., IEEE 802.11 beacon or management frame) using the adjusted transmission parameters such that only devices within the defined range decode the broadcast]; receiving, by the control circuitry via the first communication interface circuitry, a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control source devices and a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control target devices; [(para 0043-0046, Fig. 5 (520-524)); Abraham teaches that devices within the discovery range decode the discovery message and participate in subsequent communication, including response communications (e.g., control frames or range-determination messages), while devices outside the range discard the message].
Abraham doesn’t expressly teach receiving, by the control circuitry via the user interface circuitry, a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices.
In an analogous art, McCormack teaches receiving, by the control circuitry via the user interface circuitry, a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices [a wireless load-control commissioning system including control-source devices (e.g., remote or mobile control devices) and control-target devices (e.g., lighting and other loads); (para 0009-0011, para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches commissioning in which a joining device is configured to maintain user-defined binding relations, group assignments, and group-scene settings between control devices and load devices. These define and store relationships between control-source and control-target devices, thereby specifying which control devices control which load devices].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the device binding and relationship configuration of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to enable user-defined associations between control-source and control-target devices discovered within a defined range, thereby providing localized and intuitive configuration of load-control systems with predictable results.
Regarding claim 19, Abraham teaches a non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by control circuitry disposed in an electric load configuration apparatus, causes the control circuitry to: receive via user interface circuitry, a first input indicative of an electric load device discovery range [(para 0035-0038, Fig. 3 (302), Fig. 4 (402)); Abraham teaches determining a discovery range threshold at a device, which may be set locally or received via a programming message, representing the spatial discovery scope. It would have been obvious to provide such threshold via user interface input, as user-configurable parameters for device operation are well known]; determine a discovery signal strength that corresponds to the received device discovery range; [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 3 (304), Fig. 4 (404)); Abraham teaches adjusting transmission attributes (e.g., transmit power and/or MCS) based on the discovery range threshold so that only devices within the range decode the discovery message, corresponding to determining signal strength from range];cause a broadcast via first communication interface circuitry of the discovery signal at the determined broadcast discovery signal strength; [(para 0038-0042, Fig. 4 (408)); Abraham teaches transmitting a discovery message (e.g., IEEE 802.11 beacon or management frame) using the adjusted transmission parameters such that only devices within the defined range decode the broadcast]; wherein the first communication interface circuitry uses a first communication protocol [(para 0030-0035, para 0038-0042, Fig. 1, Fig. 4 (408)); Abraham teaches that the discovery message is transmitted using a wireless communication protocol such as IEEE 802.11, including beacon or management frames]; Abraham teaches transmitting discovery messages using a defined wireless communication protocol (e.g., IEEE 802.11), corresponding to the claimed first communication protocol used by the communication interface circuitry]; receive via the first communication interface circuitry, a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control source devices and a respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control target devices; [(para 0043-0046, Fig. 5 (520-524)); Abraham teaches that devices within the discovery range decode the discovery message and participate in subsequent communication, including response communications (e.g., control frames or range-determination messages), while devices outside the range discard the message].
Abraham doesn’t expressly teach receive via the user interface circuitry, a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices
In an analogous art, McCormack teaches receive via the user interface circuitry, a second input indicative of a relationship status between at least one of the one or more control source devices and at least one of the one or more control target devices [a wireless load-control commissioning system including control-source devices (e.g., remote or mobile control devices) and control-target devices (e.g., lighting and other loads); (para 0009-0011, para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches commissioning in which a joining device is configured to maintain user-defined binding relations, group assignments, and group-scene settings between control devices and load devices. These define and store relationships between control-source and control-target devices, thereby specifying which control devices control which load devices].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the device binding and relationship configuration of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to enable user-defined associations between control-source and control-target devices discovered within a defined range, thereby providing localized and intuitive configuration of load-control systems with predictable results.
Re Claims 4, 13 and 22 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, McCormack further teaches wherein to receive the second input indicative of the relationship status between the at least one of the one or more control source devices and the at least one of the one or more control target devices, the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, an input to form a new association between the one of the control source devices and the one of the control target devices [(para 0009-0011, para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches commissioning in which a joining device (control device) is configured to establish and store binding relations between control-source devices and control-target devices (e.g., load devices), including user-defined associations, group assignments, and group-scene settings; McCormack teaches that a user configures relationships between control devices and load devices during commissioning, and that such relationships are created and stored as binding relations, which corresponds to forming a new association between a control-source device and a control-target device].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the device binding and association configuration of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to receive an input to form a new association between a control-source device and a control-target device, thereby enabling flexible and user-defined configuration of load-control systems with predictable results.
Re Claims 5, 14, and 23 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, McCormack further teaches wherein the control circuitry to further: cause a communication via the first communication interface circuitry of data indicative of an identifier associated with the one or more control source devices to the one of the control target devices [(para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches that a control device identifier (e.g., network address or identifier) is transmitted to a control-target device to enable recognition and execution of control messages: McCormack teaches that identifiers of control devices are communicated to load devices during commissioning so that the load devices recognize and respond to the associated control devices, which corresponds to transmitting identifier data to the control-target device].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the identifier communication during device association of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to communicate identifier data of a control-source device to a control-target device, thereby enabling proper recognition and operation between associated devices with predictable results.
Re Claims 7, 16, and 25 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, McCormack further teaches wherein to receive the second input indicative of the relationship status between the at least one of the one or more control source devices and the at least one of the one or more control target devices, the control circuitry to further: receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, an input indicative of an existing relationship between one of the control source devices and one of the control target devices [(para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches storing and maintaining binding relations between control devices and load devices, which may be retrieved or accessed during configuration: McCormack teaches that associations (binding relations) between devices are stored and maintained, and such stored relationships can be accessed and used during configuration, which corresponds to receiving information indicative of an existing relationship between devices].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the stored binding relationships of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to receive information indicative of an existing relationship between control-source and control-target devices, thereby enabling efficient management of previously configured device associations with predictable results.
Re Claims 8, 17 and 26 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, McCormack further teaches wherein the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a fifth input that includes an instruction to remove the existing association between the one of the control source devices and the one of the control target devices [(para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches reconfiguration of device associations, including updating or modifying stored binding relations between devices: McCormack teaches that device associations (binding relations) may be modified or updated during commissioning, which corresponds to removing an existing association between devices].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the association reconfiguration capability of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to remove an existing association between control-source and control-target devices, thereby providing flexible reconfiguration of device relationships with predictable results.
Re Claims 9, 18 and 27 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, McCormack further teaches wherein the control circuitry to further: cause a communication via the first communication interface circuitry of data indicative of the removal of the association to the one of the control target devices [(para 0038-0042); McCormack teaches updating device configuration information and communicating changes in associations to devices: McCormack teaches that when associations are modified, updated configuration information is communicated to devices so that they recognize the updated relationships, which corresponds to communicating removal of an association].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the communication of updated association information of McCormack in the invention of Abraham to communicate removal of an association to a control-target device, thereby ensuring proper synchronization of device relationships with predictable results.
Claims 2, 3, 6, 11, 12, 15, 20, 21 and 24 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Abraham (US 2013/0250931 A1) in view of McCormack (US 2012/0082062 A1) further in view of Qin et al (US 2013/0210357 A1).
Re Claims 2, 11 and 20 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, combination doesn’t expressly teach wherein the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a third input indicative of a target control source device type; and wherein to receive the respective discovery signal response from each of the one or more control source devices, the control circuitry to: receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, the respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control source devices that correspond to the target control source device type.
In an analogous art, Qin teaches wherein the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a third input indicative of a target control source device type; and wherein to receive the respective discovery signal response from each of the one or more control source devices, the control circuitry to: receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, the respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control source devices that correspond to the target control source device type [(para 0005-0010, para 0020-0028); Qin teaches a pairing process where a first RF device identifies and selects a second RF device based on user input and device responses; Qin teaches that a user initiates pairing and selects specific devices for association, and that discovery responses are processed in view of device roles and selection criteria, thereby teaching selective receipt and processing of discovery responses based on device type or role].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Abraham’s discovery process, in view of McCormack’s control-source and control-target device roles, to include Qin’s selective pairing based on device characteristics so that only discovery responses corresponding to a desired device type are received and processed, thereby improving efficiency and ensuring correct association of devices.
Re Claims 3, 12 and 21 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, combination doesn’t expressly teach wherein the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a fourth input indicative of a target control target device type; and wherein to receive the respective discovery signal response from each of the one or more control target devices, the control circuitry to: receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, the respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control target devices that correspond to the target control target device type.
In an analogous art, Qin teaches wherein the control circuitry to further: receive, via the user interface circuitry, a fourth input indicative of a target control target device type; and wherein to receive the respective discovery signal response from each of the one or more control target devices, the control circuitry to: receive, via the first communication interface circuitry, the respective discovery signal response from each of one or more control target devices that correspond to the target control target device type [(para 0005-0010, para 0020-0028); Qin teaches sending discovery requests and selecting a specific device for pairing based on user interaction; Qin teaches distinguishing between device roles (controller vs controlled device) and selecting specific devices from among discovered devices for pairing, thereby teaching filtering of discovered devices based on device type or role].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Abraham’s discovery process, in view of McCormack’s load-control system, to incorporate Qin’s selective device pairing such that only discovery responses corresponding to a target device type are received and processed, thereby improving usability and ensuring correct configuration of control-target devices.
Re Claims 6, 15 and 24 Combination of Abraham and McCormack teaches invention set forth above, combination doesn’t expressly teach further comprising: second communication interface circuitry that uses a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; wherein the control circuitry to further: cause a communication via the second communication interface circuitry of data indicative of an identifier associated with the one or more control source devices to a network device communicatively coupled to the one of the control source devices and to the one of the control target devices.
In an analogous art, Qin teaches further comprising: second communication interface circuitry that uses a second communication protocol different from the first communication protocol; wherein the control circuitry to further: cause a communication via the second communication interface circuitry of data indicative of an identifier associated with the one or more control source devices to a network device communicatively coupled to the one of the control source devices and to the one of the control target devices [(para 0020-0028); Qin teaches communication between devices using RF-based protocols (e.g., RF4CE/ZigBee), distinct from other wireless communication protocols, in a system where devices communicate across different communication mechanisms: Qin teaches that devices communicate using RF communication protocols distinct from other wireless communication systems, and that pairing and communication may occur across different communication mechanisms, which corresponds to using a second communication interface with a different communication protocol].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the multi-protocol communication capability of Qin in the invention of Abraham as modified by McCormack to enable communication via a second communication interface using a different communication protocol, thereby improving interoperability and flexibility of device communication with predictable results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aqeel H Bukhari whose telephone number is (571)272-4382. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (9am to 5pm).
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/AQEEL H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2849
/RYAN JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849