DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/12/2025 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/12/2025 and 12/24/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-30 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-30 of U.S. Patent No. 12,524,732. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because because the claims in the continuation are a broader version than the ones in patent, In re Van Ornum~ 686 F.2d 937~ 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982), broad claims in continuation application are rejected as obvious double patenting over previously patented narrow claims.
Application No. 18/949,641
U.S. Patent No. 12,524,732
1. A method for enhanced node communication within a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server, the method comprising:
associating, by a first of the nodes, the first of the nodes with a second of the nodes according to a server tracked logical connection authorized by the server, wherein the first of the nodes is mobile;
capturing, by the first of the nodes, first relevant node information including shared data from another of the nodes;
transmitting, by the first of the nodes, at least the shared data of the first relevant node information
to the server via the second of the nodes operating as an intermediary for indirect communication of the first of the nodes with the server;
capturing, by a third of the nodes, second relevant node information about the third of the nodes, wherein the third of the nodes is mobile;
transmitting, by the third of the nodes, at least the second relevant node information to the server without using the second of the nodes as the intermediary to the server by having the third of the nodes
transmitting a message with at least the second relevant node information to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the second of the nodes during transit to the server.
A method for enhanced node
communication within a wireless node network having a plurality of nodes and a server, the method comprising:
associating, by a first of the nodes, the first of the nodes with a second of the nodes according to a server tracked logical connection authorized by the server, wherein the first of the nodes is mobile;
capturing, by the first of the nodes, relevant node information of the first of the nodes;
transmitting, by the first of the nodes, the relevant node information of the first of the nodes to the second of the nodes;
transmitting, by the second of the nodes, the relevant node information of the first of the nodes to the server with the second of the nodes operating as an intermediary for indirect communication of the first of the nodes with the server;
capturing, by a third of the nodes, relevant node information of the third of the nodes, wherein the third of the nodes is mobile;
transmitting, by the third of the nodes, the relevant node information of the third of the nodes to the server without using the second of the nodes as the intermediary to the server by having the third of the nodes:
generate a message for the server, the message including the relevant node information of the third of the nodes formatted for a longer range communication path when compared to a shorter range communication path used for communication between the first of the nodes and the second of the nodes in the wireless node network, and
broadcast the message on the longer range communication path to the server while avoiding the need to first send the message to the second of the nodes during transit to the server.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first relevant node information comprises at least one of profile data, security data, association data, shared data, and sensor data of the another of the nodes.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant node information of the first of the nodes further comprises at least one of profile data, security data, association data, shared data, and sensor data.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors of the another of the nodes.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensor data comprises data collected from one or more sensors of the first of the nodes.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the another of the nodes.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the first of the nodes.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node that serves as a bridge to the server for the first of the nodes in the wireless node network.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node that serves as a bridge to the server for the first of the nodes in the wireless node network.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as an integrated circuit.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as an integrated circuit.
7.The method of claim 5, wherein the second of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node to transmit the first relevant node information to the second of the nodes.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node to transmit the relevant node information to the second of the nodes.
9.The method of claim 8, wherein the first of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
10.The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node operative to communicate with the second of the nodes using a Bluetooth communication path.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node operative to communicate with the second of the nodes using a Bluetooth communication path.
11.The method of claim 1, wherein the second relevant node information of the third of the nodes comprises data collected from one or more sensors of the third of the nodes.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the relevant node information of the third of the nodes comprises data collected from one or more sensors of the third of the nodes.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the third of the nodes.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data collected from the one or more sensors relates to at least one condition of a package associated with the third of the nodes.
13.The method of claim 1, wherein the third of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node to transmit the second relevant node information of the third of the nodes to the server.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the third of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node to transmit the relevant node information of the third of the nodes to the server.
14.The method of claim 13, wherein the third of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the third of the nodes implements the wireless transceiver-based node as a single chip integrated circuit.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the third of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node operative to communicate with the server using a cellular communication path.
15. The method of claim 1, wherein the third of the nodes comprises a wireless transceiver-based node operative to communicate with the server using a cellular communication path.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARISOL FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-7840. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:00am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jinsong Hu can be reached at 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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/MARISOL FIGUEROA/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2643