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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-5, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks (US 20180160649 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hicks discloses a zone beacon system comprising a zone beacon unit (reader 1340 in electronic system 1300 for a livestock management system similar to system 1200, Para. 299 and Fig. 13) including:
one or more processors (1352, Para. 304);
one or more storage devices (memory 1354, Para. 304);
a wireless, near-field transmitter configured to transmit a near-field detection zone message (1330, Para. 299-300);
an inherent power supply to provide power to the system; and
machine executable instructions stored on the one or more storage devices that when executed cause the one or more processors to:
control power to a zone antenna to transmit the near-field detection zone message (the range may be controlled by the antenna pattern and the power supplied by the RF reader, Para. 277);
decode a zone presence reply message from an electronic tag present in a detection zone, the zone presence reply message including a tag address (read an identifier off the tag, Para. 301); and
detect an entry event in response to receiving the zone presence reply message (detect the presence of a tag in a zone of the antennas, Para. 301); and
transmit entry event data corresponding to the entry event (Tag reader 1340 may also upload data from the tag to controller 1350, Para. 301);
wherein the zone beacon unit is configured to communicate with the zone antenna (reader 1340 coupled to antenna 1330, Fig. 13).
Hicks teaches device readings may be made periodically to conserve power (Para. 213).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the processor to control power to the zone antenna to periodically transmit the near-field detection zone message in order to conserve power.
Regarding claim 2, Hicks discloses a range adjustment module configured to adjust a detection zone range (The range may be controlled by the antenna pattern and the power supplied by the RF reader, Para. 276).
Regarding claim 4, Hicks discloses the zone presence reply message is received at frequencies about 915 MHz (900 MHz, Para. 232).
Regarding claim 5, Hicks discloses wherein the zone antenna is substantially planar (1240, Fig. 12A).
Regarding claim 20, Hicks discloses wherein the detection zone is adjustable between 12 and 400 inches from a center of the zone antenna (via variable ranges of near-field antenna at under 1 m, Para. 300, 276).
Claim(s) 3, 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Collins (US 20050052283 A1).
Regarding claims 3, 7, Hicks fails to disclose the near-field detection zone message is modulated at frequencies between about 30 KHz to about 300 KHz.
Collins teaches an RFID reader can be configured interrogate at 125 kHz to detect presence of a tag (Para. 20).
From the teachings of Collins, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include the near-field detection zone message is modulated at frequencies between about 30 KHz to about 300 KHz in order to communicate with a tag at an appropriate frequency.
Regarding claim 8, Hicks discloses the zone presence reply message is received at frequencies about 915 MHz (900 MHz, Para. 232).
Regarding claim 9, Hicks discloses wherein the zone antenna is substantially planar (1240, Fig. 12A).
Regarding claim 10, Hicks discloses the range adjustment module is configured to provide between two and twenty different range settings (the range may be controlled by the antenna pattern and the power supplied by the RF reader, Para. 276).
Regarding claim 11, Hicks discloses wherein the detection zone is adjustable between 12 and 400 inches from a center of the zone antenna (via variable ranges of near-field antenna at under 1 m, Para. 300, 276).
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Takebayahshi (US 5821525 A).
Regarding claim 6, Hicks discloses the zone antenna is connected to the zone beacon unit using a connector.
Takebayahshi teaches an antenna for a reader can be connected to the reader using a connection means (col. 15, lines 5-11).
From the teachings of Takebayahshi, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include the zone antenna is connected to the zone beacon unit using a connector in order to allow easier replacement of the antenna in case the antenna is damaged.
Claim(s) 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Rofougaran (US 20070229262 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Hicks fails to disclose the power supply comprises an AC power device.
Rofougaran teaches the power supply for a RFID reader can be an AC power device (radio frequency identification (RFID) readers, computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), etc. Each of these electronic devices includes a battery and/or an AC to DC power supply to provide the power to the ICs contained therein, Para. 8).
From the teachings of Rofougaran, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include the power supply comprises an AC power device in order to provide power to the RFID reader.
Regarding claim 13, 14, Rofougaran teaches the power supply further comprises one or more batteries (Para. 8).
Claim(s) 15, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Peralta (US 20220239345 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Hicks teaches provide adjustment of the detection zone (the range may be controlled by the antenna pattern and the power supplied by the RF reader, Para. 276), but fails to disclose a dampening circuit connected between the zone beacon unit and the zone antenna, the dampening circuit configured to provide adjustment of the detection zone.
Peralta teaches a dampening circuit can be used to dampen a wireless signal being transmitted (The damping circuit is configured to dampen the AC wireless signals during transmission of the wireless data signals, wherein the damping circuit includes at least a damping transistor that is configured to receive, from the transmission controller, a damping signal for switching the transistor to control damping during transmission of the wireless data signals, Para. 17).
From the teachings of Peralta, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include a dampening circuit connected between the zone beacon unit and the zone antenna, the dampening circuit configured to provide adjustment of the detection zone in order to control the strength of the detection zone message as needed.
Regarding claim 16, Hicks discloses wherein the zone antenna is substantially planar (1240, Fig. 12A).
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Honkanen (US 20080309490 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Hicks fails to disclose the machine executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit an acknowledgment message to the electronic tag in response to receiving the zone presence reply message.
Honkanen teaches a reader to transmit an acknowledgment message to a tag in response to receiving a reply message from the tag (the transponder is instructed to reply on further command. The first query command instructs the selected radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder to respond a 16-bit random or pseudo-random number (RN16). Upon reception of an acknowledgement command from the radio frequency identification (RFID) reader informing the radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder that the 16-bit random or pseudo-random number (RN16) is valid, the transponder for instance transmits an electronic product code (EPC), Para. 161).
From the teachings of Honkanen, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include the machine executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to transmit an acknowledgment message to the electronic tag in response to receiving the zone presence reply message in order to initiate additional communications from the tag to complete communications with the tag.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Horwitz (US 6496806 B1).
Regarding claim 18, Hicks fails to disclose wherein the entry event data comprises the tag address, a zone beacon unit address, and a time and date of the entry event.
Horwitz teaches recording information related to a read event of a device including tag address, a zone beacon unit address, and a time and date of the read event (The cluster ID along with any location tag that were identified in the same read are stored together with a time date stamp in a location list for each cluster ID that was determined as present in that read. The cluster location list provides the real-time trail of where a particular cluster is or has been, col. 10, lines 36-41).
From the teachings of Horwitz, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include wherein the entry event data comprises the tag address, a zone beacon unit address, and a time and date of the entry event in order to store information related to the entry event, thereby allow later analysis.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hicks, and further in view of Zou (US 20090201142 A1).
Regarding claim 19, Hicks fails to disclose the zone antenna comprises a substantially planar spiral coil antenna having between 15 and 40 turns.
Zou teaches a planar spiral coil antenna can be configured to include different number of turns to accommodate target communication frequencies (Without limitation, in such an embodiment, the outer diameter and spacing between adjacent turns is selected to provide power amplifier 30 with sufficient inductance to achieve a target operation frequency. For instance, in an embodiment, the target operation frequency may be 12 MHz. FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative embodiment of antenna 90 in which electrical wire 155 is disposed on antenna base 160 in a printed circuit pattern. In such an alternative embodiment, electrical wire 155 may have any suitable number of turns, spacing between turns, and outer dimensions for use in interrogator 10, Para. 24).
From the teachings of Zou, it would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hicks to include the zone antenna comprises a substantially planar spiral coil antenna having between 15 and 40 turns in order to communicate at a target operation frequency as needed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONG HANG JIANG whose telephone number is (571)270-3024. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30-6 EST.
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/YONG HANG JIANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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