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 .
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)(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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by JP 2018014574 (Yuki).
For claim 1, Yuki teaches an electronic device comprising:
Wi-Fi communication circuitry configured to perform a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) communication with at least one external electronic device (see, figure 4, specification, “the NAN device 101 first performs passive scanning of NAN clusters existing in the vicinity (S401)”);
Memory (figure 2, RAM 201); and
a processor (figure 2 CPU 202) operatively connected to the Wi-Fi communication circuitry and the memory,
wherein the processor is configured to:
form a first neighbor awareness networking (NAN) cluster with at least one external electronic device based on the NAN communication (see, specification, “If the NAN device 101 finds a NAN cluster in S402 (YES in S402), the NAN device 101 participates in the found NAN cluster (S405). In participation in the NAN cluster, the NAN device 101 executes processing defined in the NAN standard in synchronization with the DW of the NAN cluster according to the information of the NAN cluster received during passive scanning”),
transmit a first NAN signal to the at least one external electronic device included in the first NAN cluster, wherein the first NAN signal includes information to cause the at least one external electronic device to deactivate a NAN cluster merge function (see specification, “…the NAN device 101 operates in the merge management mode when it is a role of transmitting Sync Beacon, and operates in the power saving mode in other cases.”), and
based on a condition being satisfied after transmitting the first NAN signal, transmit a second NAN signal to the at least one external electronic device included in the first NAN cluster, wherein the second NAN signal includes information to cause the at least one external electronic device to activate the NAN cluster merge function [see specification, “…if (the NAN device) is a master, it operates in the merge management mode”].
For claim 2, Yuki further teaches a short-range wireless communication circuitry (NAN circuitry is a protocol of Wi-Fi),
wherein the processor is configured to:
identify the at least one external electronic device to form the first NAN cluster via the short-range wireless communication circuitry (see, e.g., specification, “ For example, when receiving a Discovery Beacon transmitted by another NAN cluster, the NAN device compares the Cluster Grade between the first NAN cluster to which the NAN device currently belongs and the newly discovered second NAN cluster”).
For claim 3, Yuki further teaches the processor is configured to:
transmit a discovery beacon to the at least one external electronic device based on the NAN communication, perform passive scan to search the at least one external electronic device, receive, in response to performing the passive scan, a discovery beacon transmitted by the at least one external device, and determine a master device based on the received discovery beacon (see, e.g., specification, “The NAN device participates in the second NAN cluster when the Cluster Grade of the second NAN cluster is high. When the Role is Master or Non-Master Sync, the NAN device that has joined the second NAN cluster has a Sync Beacon that includes information on the second NAN cluster to be newly joined in the first NAN cluster. Send. Then, the NAN device belonging to the first NAN cluster receives the Sync Beacon and participates in the second NAN cluster, whereby the first NAN cluster is merged with the second NAN cluster. By integrating the NAN clusters in this way, the NAN device can perform service search from among other NAN devices.”).
For claim 4, Yuki further teaches the discovery beacon comprises attribute information associated with the NAN communication, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the master device based on the attribute information associated with the NAN communication (see, e.g., specification, “Each of the NAN devices has a Master Rank defined in the NAN standard as a factor for determining a role in the NAN cluster. The Master Rank is determined from a Master Preference set for each NAN device, a random value, and an interface address. The higher the Master Rank, the easier the NAN device becomes the role of the Master, and the lower the Master Rank, the more likely it becomes Non-Master Non-Sync.”).
For claim 5, Yuki further teaches the discovery beacon comprises a first information related to time synchronization and a second information related to channel synchronization based on the attribute information (see, e.g., specification, “The value of Cluster Grade is calculated as follows: CG = A1 × 2 .sup.64 + A2 where A1 is the master preference of the anchor master and A2 is a TSF (Time Synchronization Function) value. ”), and
wherein the processor is configured to perform the NAN communication based on the first information and the second information for the determined master device (see specification, “Each of the NAN devices has a Master Rank defined in the NAN standard as a factor for determining a role in the NAN cluster. The Master Rank is determined from a Master Preference set for each NAN device, a random value, and an interface address. The higher the Master Rank, the easier the NAN device becomes the role of the Master, and the lower the Master Rank, the more likely it becomes Non-Master Non-Sync.”).
For claim 6, Yuki further teaches the NAN communication comprises a short-range wireless network based on a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) communication standard (see, specification, “In the following, the standard that the communication apparatus follows is referred to as “NAN standard”, and the network for service search and discovery formed in accordance with the NAN standard is referred to as “NAN”.”), and
wherein the processor is configured to perform the NAN communication with the at least one external electronic device via the Wi-Fi communication circuitry based on discovery window section information corresponding to the first NAN cluster (see specification, “The period for synchronization in the NAN is called DW (Discovery Window). The DW period is repeated at a constant cycle. A set of NAN devices that share the same DW period is called a NAN cluster”).
For claim 7, Yuki further teaches the NAN communication transmit a NAN signal including at least one of a service discovery frame of a NAN communication standard applied to the NAN communication, a NAN action frame (NAF), or a Bluetooth low energy (BLE) message (see specification, “The frame structure of messages such as a Publish message, a Subscribe message, and a Follow-up message is defined in the NAN standard, and is called a Service Discovery Frame (SDF)”).
For claim 8, Yuki further teaches the condition includes at least one of a condition where the first NAN cluster is released, a condition where the NAN communication corresponding to the first NAN cluster is ended, a condition where other NAN cluster is created (see specification, “When the Role is Master or Non-Master Sync, the NAN device that has joined the second NAN cluster has a Sync Beacon that includes information on the second NAN cluster to be newly joined in the first NAN cluster. Send. Then, the NAN device belonging to the first NAN cluster receives the Sync Beacon and participates in the second NAN cluster, whereby the first NAN cluster is merged with the second NAN cluster. By integrating the NAN clusters in this way, the NAN device can perform service search from among other NAN devices.”),
a condition where a specific service based on the NAN communication is performed together with at least one external electronic device, or a condition where the NAN cluster merge function is activated (see, e.g., specification, “the period for enabling the reception function of the communication unit 206 is set to a fixed period of 200 TU or more, which is the longest cycle of the Discovery Beacon, so as to be executed in the merge management operation mode described later”).
For claim 9, Yuki further teaches the processor is configured to:
interrupt the passive scan so as not to merge with other NAN cluster included other external electronic device (see figure 4, specification, “if the NAN device 101 determines that a certain period of time has elapsed without finding a NAN cluster (YES in S403), it ends passive scanning and generates a NAN cluster (S404)”).
For claim 10, Yuki further teaches the processor is configured to:
interrupt a searching for beacon information corresponding to other NAN cluster (see figure 4, specification, “if the NAN device 101 determines that a certain period of time has elapsed without finding a NAN cluster (YES in S403), it ends passive scanning and generates a NAN cluster (S404)”).
For claim 11, Yuki further teaches the processor is configured to:
interrupt the passive scan by blocking reception of the discovery beacon transmitted by at least one external device (see e.g. specification “Here, the NAN device 101 may disable the transmission function of the communication unit 206. That is, the NAN device 101 activates both the transmission function and the reception function in the DW period of the NAN cluster to which the NAN device 101 belongs, and activates the reception function in a predetermined period outside the DW period in the merge management mode.”).
For claim 12, Yuki further teaches the processor is configured to:
interrupt a transmitting for the discovery beacon to at least one external electronic device (see e.g. specification “Here, the NAN device 101 may disable the transmission function of the communication unit 206. That is, the NAN device 101 activates both the transmission function and the reception function in the DW period of the NAN cluster to which the NAN device 101 belongs, and activates the reception function in a predetermined period outside the DW period in the merge management mode.”).
For claim 13, Yuki teaches a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) communication method comprising:
forming a first NAN cluster with the at least one external electronic device based on the NAN communication (see e.g. specification “if the NAN device 101 determines that a certain period of time has elapsed without finding a NAN cluster (YES in S403), it ends passive scanning and generates a NAN cluster (S404)”);
transmitting a first NAN signal to the at least one external electronic device included in the first NAN cluster, wherein the first NAN signal includes information to cause the at least one external electronic device to deactivate a NAN cluster merge function (see, specification, “If the NAN device 101 finds a NAN cluster in S402 (YES in S402), the NAN device 101 participates in the found NAN cluster (S405). In participation in the NAN cluster, the NAN device 101 executes processing defined in the NAN standard in synchronization with the DW of the NAN cluster according to the information of the NAN cluster received during passive scanning”); and
based on a condition being satisfied after transmitting the first NAN signal, transmitting a second NAN signal to the at least one external electronic device included in the first NAN cluster (see specification, “…the NAN device 101 operates in the merge management mode when it is a role of transmitting Sync Beacon, and operates in the power saving mode in other cases.”),
wherein the second NAN signal includes information to cause the at least one external electronic device to activate the NAN cluster merge function [see specification, “…if (the NAN device) is a master, it operates in the merge management mode”].
For claim 14, Yuki further teaches identifying the at least one external electronic device to form the first NAN cluster via short-range wireless communication circuitry (nan communication is a subset of Wi-Fi).
For claim 15, Yui further teaches transmitting a discovery beacon to the at least one external electronic device based on the NAN communication ;
performing passive scan to search the at least one external electronic device (see specification, “ the NAN device 101 first performs passive scanning of NAN clusters existing in the vicinity (S401)”);
receiving, in response to performing the passive scan, a discovery beacon transmitted by the at least one external device (see, specification, “When receiving the Discovery Beacon or the Synchronization Beacon (hereinafter referred to as “Sync Beacon”), the NAN device 101 determines that a NAN cluster has been found (YES in S402).”); and
determining a master device based on the received discovery beacon (see, e.g., specification, “The NAN device participates in the second NAN cluster when the Cluster Grade of the second NAN cluster is high. When the Role is Master or Non-Master Sync, the NAN device that has joined the second NAN cluster has a Sync Beacon that includes information on the second NAN cluster to be newly joined in the first NAN cluster. Send. Then, the NAN device belonging to the first NAN cluster receives the Sync Beacon and participates in the second NAN cluster, whereby the first NAN cluster is merged with the second NAN cluster. By integrating the NAN clusters in this way, the NAN device can perform service search from among other NAN devices.”).
For claim 16, Yuki further teaches the discovery beacon comprises attribute information associated with the NAN communication (see specification, “when receiving a Discovery Beacon transmitted by another NAN cluster, the NAN device compares the Cluster Grade between the first NAN cluster to which the NAN device currently belongs and the newly discovered second NAN cluster”), and
wherein the master device is determined based on the attribute information associated with the NAN communication (see specification, “The Master Rank is determined from a Master Preference set for each NAN device, a random value, and an interface address. The higher the Master Rank, the easier the NAN device becomes the role of the Master, and the lower the Master Rank, the more likely it becomes Non-Master Non-Sync.”).
For claim 17, Yuki further teaches the discovery beacon comprises a first information related to time synchronization and a second information related to channel synchronization based on the attribute information (see, e.g., specification, “The value of Cluster Grade is calculated as follows: CG = A1 × 2 .sup.64 + A2 where A1 is the master preference of the anchor master and A2 is a TSF (Time Synchronization Function) value. ”), and
wherein the NAN communication is performed based on the first information and the second information for the determined master device (see specification, “Each of the NAN devices has a Master Rank defined in the NAN standard as a factor for determining a role in the NAN cluster. The Master Rank is determined from a Master Preference set for each NAN device, a random value, and an interface address. The higher the Master Rank, the easier the NAN device becomes the role of the Master, and the lower the Master Rank, the more likely it becomes Non-Master Non-Sync.”).
For claim 18, Yuki further teaches the NAN communication comprises a short-range wireless network based on a neighbor awareness networking (NAN) communication standard, and
wherein the NAN communication with the at least one external electronic device is performed based on discovery window section information corresponding to the first NAN cluster (see specification, “The period for synchronization in the NAN is called DW (Discovery Window). The DW period is repeated at a constant cycle. A set of NAN devices that share the same DW period is called a NAN cluster”).
For claim 19, Yuki further teaches the condition includes at least one of a condition where the first NAN cluster is released, a condition where the NAN communication corresponding to the first NAN cluster is ended, a condition where other NAN cluster is created, a condition where a specific service based on the NAN communication is performed together with at least one external electronic device, or a condition where the NAN cluster merge function is activated(see specification, “When the Role is Master or Non-Master Sync, the NAN device that has joined the second NAN cluster has a Sync Beacon that includes information on the second NAN cluster to be newly joined in the first NAN cluster. Send. Then, the NAN device belonging to the first NAN cluster receives the Sync Beacon and participates in the second NAN cluster, whereby the first NAN cluster is merged with the second NAN cluster. By integrating the NAN clusters in this way, the NAN device can perform service search from among other NAN devices.”).
For claim 20, Yuki further teaches at least one of:
interrupting the passive scan so as not to merge with other NAN cluster included other external electronic device;
interrupting a searching for beacon information corresponding to other NAN cluster;
interrupting the passive scan by blocking reception of the discovery beacon transmitted by at least one external device; and
interrupting a transmitting for the discovery beacon to at least one external electronic device (see e.g. specification “Here, the NAN device 101 may disable the transmission function of the communication unit 206. That is, the NAN device 101 activates both the transmission function and the reception function in the DW period of the NAN cluster to which the NAN device 101 belongs, and activates the reception function in a predetermined period outside the DW period in the merge management mode.”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADAM D HOUSTON whose telephone number is (571)270-3901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-7 CST.
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/ADAM D HOUSTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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