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 .
The information disclosure filed on 1/17/2025 has been entered. The preliminary amendment filed on 1/17/2025 has been entered. Claim 12 has been entered. Claims 1-11 and 13-20 are presented for examination.
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.
Claims 1 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Jones (Jones – 2015/123770 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Jones discloses a radio frequency identification system, comprising a host computer, a reader, a fast communication device, a radio frequency (RF) exciter, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, the host computer communicating with the reader, the reader and the RF exciter performing information interaction via the first communication device (Jones; Fig. 1-4; mobile device 6 which is configured to receive the modulated RF energy emitted for one or more of the RF tags circuits 4a, 4b, 4c; RF exciters 2a, 2b; a network 12 as shown in figure 2, a host computer 14, par . 0041 - [To illustrate, the mobile device 6 may send its current location (determined as explained above) along with an inquiry (such as how do I get to the nearest exit?) to the server 14. A user of the mobile device 6 may input the inquiry e.g., using a keypad, touchscreen, voice command, etc. The server 14 may be configured with a map of the RF tag circuits within the area as well as other information related to the area (such as locations of shops, exits, particular products, etc.). The server 14 may be configured to identify a first RF tag circuit that is proximate to the location of the mobile device 6 as a starting location, and identify a second RF tag circuit that is proximate to the nearest exit (a desired destination). The desired destination may be at another location within the area or it may be proximate to the area. The server 14 may also identify the RF tag circuits that are along a path between the starting location and the nearest exit. Path length, congestion, and/or other preferences may be considered when determining the path. The preferences may be sent with the inquiry or stored as user preferences at the server 14. The server 14 may send instructions to the RF tag circuits along the path via the RF exciter 2. Hence, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the RF exciter 2 in this example is also configured to emit modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M), and the RF tag circuits are configured to receive the modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M). The modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M) may carry the instructions to the RF tag circuits along the path (or to all the RF tag circuits, but only those along the path act on the instructions). In this case the RF tag circuits 4a, 4b may have unique identifiers and be individually addressable so that specific instructions may be sent to individual RF tag circuits);
wherein the host computer is configured to: obtain a current working state of the reader, and when the current working state is active, configure physical addresses and IP addresses for both of the reader and the RF exciter and enable a wired networking mode between the reader and the RF exciter; the reader is configured to transmit a forward carrier signal to the RF exciter via a network switching device of the first communication device upon enablement of the wired networking mode; the RF exciter is configured to transmit the forward carrier signal through the air interface; and the RFID tag is configured to modulate the forward carrier signal to generate a reverse transmission signal upon reception of the forward carrier signal and transmit the reverse transmission signal to the reader through the air interface (Jones; Fig. 1-4; mobile device 6 which is configured to receive the modulated RF energy emitted for one or more of the RF tags circuits 4a, 4b, 4c; RF exciters 2a, 2b; a network 12 as shown in figure 2, a host computer 14, par . 0041 - [To illustrate, the mobile device 6 may send its current location (determined as explained above) along with an inquiry (such as how do I get to the nearest exit?) to the server 14. A user of the mobile device 6 may input the inquiry e.g., using a keypad, touchscreen, voice command, etc. The server 14 may be configured with a map of the RF tag circuits within the area as well as other information related to the area (such as locations of shops, exits, particular products, etc.). The server 14 may be configured to identify a first RF tag circuit that is proximate to the location of the mobile device 6 as a starting location, and identify a second RF tag circuit that is proximate to the nearest exit (a desired destination). The desired destination may be at another location within the area or it may be proximate to the area. The server 14 may also identify the RF tag circuits that are along a path between the starting location and the nearest exit. Path length, congestion, and/or other preferences may be considered when determining the path. The preferences may be sent with the inquiry or stored as user preferences at the server 14. The server 14 may send instructions to the RF tag circuits along the path via the RF exciter 2. Hence, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the RF exciter 2 in this example is also configured to emit modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M), and the RF tag circuits are configured to receive the modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M). The modulated RF energy (RF'.sub.M) may carry the instructions to the RF tag circuits along the path (or to all the RF tag circuits, but only those along the path act on the instructions). In this case the RF tag circuits 4a, 4b may have unique identifiers and be individually addressable so that specific instructions may be sent to individual RF tag circuits).
Regarding claim 9, Jones discloses the radio frequency identification system according to claim lThe RF exciters 2a, 2b are not limited to any particular configuration. Merely by way of example, the RF exciters 2a, 2b may include standard electronic and communication components such an antenna, processor, memory, and power supply. While the RF exciters 2a, 2b are not limited to any particular configuration, and any RF source may be used with embodiments of the invention, in general the antenna may be used for emitting the unmodulated RF energy (RF.sub.E), the processor may be used to control communications, the same or a different processor may be used for processing data and executing applications, the memory may be used for storing information, and the power supply may provide power to the various components. Each of these components may be configured in accordance with known techniques”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11 and 13-20 are allowed.
Claims 2-8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
i. The prior art fails to disclose the radio frequency identification system according to claim 1, wherein the host computer is further configured to enable a wireless networking mode between the reader and the RF exciter in the manner as recited in claim 2 (claims 3-4 depend on
claim 2).
ii. The prior fails to disclose a radio frequency identification system according to claim ldevice, and RF exciters managed by different readers are isolated by a port-based Virtual Local Area Network as recited in claim 5.
iii. The prior art fails to disclose the radio frequency identification system according to claim l further comprising a synchronized clock source configured in the manner as recited in claim 6 (claims 7-8 depend on claim 6).
iv. The prior art fails to disclose a signal processing method, applied to herein the radio frequency identification system comprises a host computer, a reader, a first communication device, a radio frequency (RF) exciter, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, wherein the host computer communicating with the reader, the reader and the RF exciter performing information interaction via the first communication device; and wherein the signal processing method comprises the features as recited in claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN MINH LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2396. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-5:00 PM M-Th..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THIEN M LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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