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 .
Specification Objections
8. The specification is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0024] recites “network cables and fibers wires.” The phrase should be corrected to “network cables and fibers” or “network cables and fiber-optic wires.”
Paragraph [0039] refers to monitoring the status of “the cable/fiber 102.” However, the cable/fiber illustrated in enhanced system 150 is identified as cable/fiber 152. “Cable/fiber 102” should therefore be corrected to “cable/fiber 152.”
Paragraph [0039] further recites “a power source 164 (e.g., a battery) to power the sensor 160 and/or the communications circuitry 162).” The closing parenthesis following “162” lacks a corresponding opening parenthesis and should be deleted or otherwise corrected.
Paragraph [0041] refers to “when the cable/fiber 102 is an Ethernet cable.” The relevant cable/fiber in system 150 is cable/fiber 152. “Cable/fiber 102” should therefore be corrected to “cable/fiber 152.”
Paragraph [0044] recites “[t]he communications circuitry 172 may communicate with the management network 172.” Reference numeral 172 identifies the management network, whereas reference numeral 162 identifies the communications circuitry. “Communications circuitry 172” should therefore be corrected to “communications circuitry 162.”
Paragraph [0047] recites “[i]n the cable/fiber 102 may be one or more sensors 210.” The cable/fiber in system 200 is identified by reference numeral 202. “Cable/fiber 102” should therefore be corrected to “cable/fiber 202.”
Paragraph [0050] recites “any of the user communications circuitry 162 and 212.” The word “user” appears to be extraneous and should be deleted.
Paragraph [0051] recites “a functional block diagram of hardwire.” The term “hardwire” should be corrected to “hardware.”
Paragraph [0052] recites “representing the communications circuitry 162 or the communications circuitry 212 of FIG. 2 for transmitting and receiving signals.” An opening parenthesis before “e.g.” is not properly closed. Appropriate correction is required.
Paragraph [0053] refers to “communications circuitry 32.” The proper reference numeral appears to be 302. Accordingly, “communications circuitry 32” should be corrected to “communications circuitry 302.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 1, 8 & 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate data, to a management network, indicative of whether the smart wire is connected to or disconnected from the device or port.” The comma following “data” unnecessarily separates the verb phrase from the indirect object. The limitation should be corrected, for example, to “communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate, to a management network, data indicative of whether the smart wire is connected to or disconnected from the device or port.”
Claim 8 recites “wherein the smart wire is a fiber optic.” The term “fiber optic” ordinarily functions as an adjective and does not clearly identify the claimed article. The limitation should be corrected to “wherein the smart wire is a fiber-optic cable” or “wherein the smart wire comprises an optical fiber.”
Claim 19 similarly recites “wherein the smart wire is a fiber optic.” The limitation should be corrected to “wherein the smart wire is a fiber-optic cable” or “wherein the smart wire comprises an optical fiber.”
These matters are treated as informalities because the intended meanings are reasonably apparent from the specification. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5 & 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 5 recites: “wherein the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry are configured to receive traffic of the smart wire by splitting or emitting the traffic from the smart wire.” It is unclear whether:
• the one or more sensors split or emit the traffic;
• the communications circuitry splits or emits the traffic;
• both the sensors and the communications circuitry split or emit the traffic;
• an unrecited splitter or emitter splits or emits the traffic; or
• the sensors and communications circuitry merely receive traffic that has been split or emitted by a separate component.
The limitation also recites “emitting the traffic from the smart wire,” but does not identify what structure performs the emitting or what is meant by emitting traffic “from” the smart wire.
Paragraph [0034] of the specification states that “the cable or fiber may use a splitter or emitter to send traffic along the cable or fiber to the sensor.” Thus, the specification appears to contemplate a separate splitter or emitter that directs at least a portion of the traffic to a sensor. Claim 5, however, does not recite that separate structure and instead grammatically attributes the receiving and potentially the splitting or emitting functions collectively to the sensors and communications circuitry.
Accordingly, a person of ordinary skill in the art would not be able to determine with reasonable certainty the components that perform the recited splitting or emitting and receiving functions or the required structural relationship among those components.
Claim 16 contains the same limitation:
“wherein the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry are configured to receive traffic of the smart wire by splitting or emitting the traffic from the smart wire.”
Claim 16 is indefinite for the same reasons stated above with respect to claim 5.
For purposes of examination only, the Examiner interprets claims 5 and 16 as intending to recite that the smart wire includes a splitter or emitter configured to direct at least a portion of traffic from the smart wire to the one or more sensors, and that the communications circuitry communicates data derived from the sensor’s detection of the directed traffic. This interpretation is made solely to facilitate examination and does not resolve the identified indefiniteness.
Claims 5 & 16 could be clarified, for example, by reciting: “wherein the smart wire further comprises a splitter or emitter configured to direct at least a portion of traffic carried by the smart wire to the one or more sensors, and wherein the communications circuitry is configured to wirelessly communicate data generated based on the portion of the traffic received by the one or more sensors.” Applicant may alter this language as necessary to accurately reflect Applicant’s intended design.
Appropriate amendment is required.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 8, 11-14, 16 & 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Downie et al. (U.S. 2008/0100467 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Downie et al. disclose in Fig. 15, a smart wire (fiber-optic cable 1206 includes respective connectors 1208(1) and 1208(2) at its ends, with RFID transponders and condition-responsive devices associated with the connectors for monitoring cable connections, see paragraphs [0056]–[0057]), comprising: one or more sensors configured to detect whether the smart wire is connected to or disconnected from a device or port (a condition-responsive device associated with a connector detects insertion of the connector plug into an adapter, registers the resulting change in condition, and permits polling to determine which connector and adapter have been connected; Downie also expressly states that the condition-responsive device may respond to connecting or disconnecting a plug from a socket, see paragraphs [0030] and [0057]); and communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate data, to a management network, indicative of whether the smart wire is connected to or disconnected from the device or port (the RFID transponder includes an integrated circuit and RFID antenna and communicates a signal representative of the condition detected by the condition-responsive device to an RFID reader; the reader and its associated database and processing elements receive and process the connection information, see paragraphs [0034]–[0036] and [0063]), wherein the management network is unassociated with a service using the smart wire and the device or port (the RFID reader and database form a separate physical-connection mapping and monitoring system that records connector and adapter connections, RFID responses, past and present conditions, and changes of condition; this RFID management communication is separate from the customer or payload service carried by fiber-optic cable 1206, see paragraphs [0035], [0037], and [0063]).
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Regarding claim 2, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1 (as set forth above), further comprising: a first insert arranged at a first end of the smart wire (connector 1208(1) is arranged at a first end of fiber-optic cable 1206, see paragraph [0056]); and a second insert arranged at a second end of the smart wire (connector 1208(2) is arranged at the opposite end of fiber-optic cable 1206, see paragraph [0056]), wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry (each connector 1208 has an associated RFID transponder and may include a condition-responsive device for detecting connector insertion or another change of condition; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, connectors 1208(1) and 1208(2), which are inserted into corresponding adapters, constitute the claimed first and second inserts, see paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 3, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 2 (as set forth above), wherein the smart wire connects to the device or port via the first insert (connector 1208(1) at the first end of fiber-optic cable 1206 is received in adapter 1210(1) of housing 1202, which may be a router, server, wireless device, patch panel, adapter, or other connected device, see paragraph [0056]).
Regarding claim 5, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1, wherein Downie et al. further disclose the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry are configured to receive traffic of the smart wire by splitting or emitting the traffic from the smart wire (see [0046] pairs of connections 666 splitting into 666b, 666c)
Regarding claim 8, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1 (as set forth above), wherein the smart wire is a fiber optic (fiber-optic cable 1206 has connectors at both ends and is monitored using the RFID transponders and condition-responsive devices, see paragraphs [0056]–[0057]).
Regarding claim 11, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1, wherein Downie et al. further disclose the communications circuitry is configured to transmit the data to the management network while the smart wire is disconnected from the device or port (the condition-responsive device may detect connecting or disconnecting the plug from a socket and report that change through the RFID transponder; RFID transponder 36 is configured to return a signal to the RFID reader regardless of the condition detected by the condition-responsive device, thereby permitting communication of a disconnected condition, see paragraphs [0030] and [0037]).
Regarding claim 12, Downie et al. disclose a smart wire (fiber-optic cable 1206 includes connectors 1208(1) and 1208(2) and associated connection-monitoring hardware, see paragraphs [0056] & [0057]), comprising: one or more sensors configured to detect a status of the smart wire (the condition-responsive devices detect a condition or change of condition associated with the cable connectors, including insertion, contact, connection, or disconnection, see paragraphs [0030], [0034], and [0057]); and communications circuitry configured to wirelessly communicate data indicative of the status to a management network when the smart wire is disconnected (the RFID transponder wirelessly provides a signal representative of the detected condition to an RFID reader and is configured to return a signal regardless of the condition detected, including a disconnection condition, see paragraphs [0037], and [0063]), wherein the management network is unassociated with a service using the smart wire (the RFID reader, database, and processing elements form a separate system for identifying, mapping, and monitoring cable connections and conditions, independently of the customer or payload service carried through the fiber-optic cable, see paragraphs [0036]).
Regarding claim 13, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 12 (as set forth above), further comprising: a first insert arranged at a first end of the smart wire (connector 1208(1) is arranged at a first end of fiber-optic cable 1206, see paragraph [0056]); and a second insert arranged at a second end of the smart wire (connector 1208(2) is arranged at the opposite end of fiber-optic cable 1206, see paragraph [0056]), wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry (each connector has an associated RFID transponder and may include a condition-responsive device that detects insertion or a change in condition and communicates the detected condition, see paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 14, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 13 (as set forth above), wherein the smart wire connects to a device or port via the first insert (connector 1208(1) at the first end of cable 1206 is received in adapter 1210(1) of housing 1202, which may constitute a router, server, patch panel, adapter, or another device to which a fiber-optic cable may be attached, see paragraph [0056]).
Regarding claim 16, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 12, wherein Downie et al. further disclose the one or more sensors and the communications circuitry are configured to receive traffic of the smart wire by splitting or emitting the traffic from the smart wire (see [0046] pairs of connections 666 splitting into 666b, 666c).
Regarding claim 19, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 12 (as set forth above), wherein the smart wire is a fiber optic (fiber-optic cable 1206 includes connectors and associated RFID connection-monitoring hardware, see paragraphs [0056]–[0057]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
15. Claims 4, 6-7, 9-10, 15, 17-18 & 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Downie et al. (U.S. 2008/0100467 A1) in view of Perlman et al. (U.S. 2018/0076515 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Downie et al. are not understood to expressly disclose wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises a battery.
Perlman et al. disclose wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises a battery (the radio architecture applicable to a radio positioned between upstream and downstream cable connectors includes an internal power source, and the internal power source may be any type of battery 958, including a lithium-ion battery, lithium-polymer battery, fuel cell, or electrical generator, see paragraph [0165] and FIGS. 8A–8D and 9C).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to modify at least one of Downie et al.’s connector inserts to include the internal battery taught by Perlman et al., because doing so would permit the connector-mounted sensor and wireless communications circuitry to remain powered when power from the monitored cable or connected device is unavailable, including when the cable is disconnected. Perlman et al. expressly teach in paragraph [0162] that power may be supplied from internal or external sources and in paragraph [0165] that the internal source may be battery 958, thereby providing a predictable independent-power arrangement for cable-associated electronic circuitry.
Regarding claim 6, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1 (see above), wherein Downie et al. further disclose that the cable and connector may use an RJ-type connector (the connector may include an RJ connector and may connect the cable to a socket of a router, server, patch panel, wireless device, or other network device, see paragraphs [0032] and [0056]).
Downie et al., however, are not understood to expressly disclose wherein the smart wire is an Ethernet cable.
Perlman et al. disclose wherein the smart wire is an Ethernet cable (radio 811 is positioned between twisted-pair cables 851 and 852 connected through respective RJ-45 or RJ-11 network connectors 855 and 856, including Category 3, Category 4, Category 5, Category 5e, Category 6, and Category 6a cables, see paragraph [0129]; and the twisted-pair cable daisy chain may use Ethernet (see paragraph [0130]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s RJ-connected smart cable as the Ethernet cable taught by Perlman et al., because Ethernet over RJ-45 twisted-pair cabling was a conventional network-cable implementation suitable for connecting network devices. Perlman et al. explain in paragraph [0143] that selection of twisted-pair cable types, including Category 5e and Category 6, may be based on cabling already installed at the site, cost, cable length, power consumption, and performance characteristics, thereby providing recognized compatibility and deployment benefits.
Regarding claim 7, Downie et al. and Perlman et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 6 (as set forth above); Downie et al. further disclose wherein the one or more sensors are voltage or current sensors (the condition-responsive device may detect a condition resulting from receipt of a plug in a socket, including a voltage or current generated upon connection and detected by the condition-responsive device, see paragraph [0011]).
Downie et al. are not understood to expressly disclose the particular circuitry by which analog voltage or current information in the Ethernet implementation is converted into data usable by the communications and control circuitry.
Perlman et al. disclose circuitry by which analog voltage or current information in the Ethernet implementation is converted into data usable by the communications and control circuitry (see voltage- and current-responsive circuitry in the Ethernet-connected wireless device, A-to-D/D-to-A unit 911 converts one or more analog voltages or currents received from RF processing unit 912 into digital data samples supplied to baseband processing and control unit 910, see paragraph [0151] and FIG. 9B).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s voltage- or current-responsive sensor using the analog-to-digital circuitry taught by Perlman et al., because doing so would convert the sensed electrical condition into digital data suitable for processing and wireless reporting. Perlman et al. explain in paragraph [0151] that unit 911 converts analog voltages or currents into digital data samples supplied to the control unit, thereby facilitating digital evaluation and communication of the sensed electrical condition.
Regarding claim 9, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 8; Downie et al. further disclose that an integrated condition sensor may detect light exposure (see paragraph [0039]).
Downie et al., however, are not understood to expressly disclose wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors implemented as photoresponsive devices that respond directly to light carried by the fiber optic.
Perlman et al. disclose the one or more sensors are optical sensors implemented as photoresponsive devices that respond directly to light carried by the fiber optic (see wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors; which radio 821 is coupled between fiber cables 861 and 862 through fiber connectors such as ST, SC, LC, MU, MT-RJ, and MPO connectors, see paragraph [0135]; and the fiber-carried transmitted light may be received and converted into electrical power using a photovoltaic cell or another device responsive to light wavelengths (see paragraph [0139]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s light-responsive condition sensor using the fiber-coupled photoresponsive device taught by Perlman et al., because doing so would provide a known means for converting the presence or level of light carried by the fiber into an electrical signal usable by the connector’s monitoring and wireless-reporting circuitry. Perlman et al. expressly teach in paragraph [0139] that light transmitted through the fiber may be converted by a photovoltaic cell or another device responsive to light wavelengths, thereby providing a predictable optical-detection implementation.
Regarding claim 10, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 1; wherein Downie et al. further disclose maintaining management information concerning the cable, including cable type, location, performance, the device connected at the opposite end, present and past mating components, present and past connection conditions, and changes in those conditions (see paragraphs [0036] and [0063]).
Downie et al., however, are not understood to expressly characterize the monitored cable itself as a management wire.
Perlman et al. disclose characterize the monitored cable itself as a management wire (wherein the smart wire is a management wire (data communicated through network switch 903 may be used as control data for configuring radio subsystems, reading the status of radio subsystems, rerouting data streams, controlling power levels, changing frequencies and bandwidth, configuring network modes, and loading or reading information from memory, see paragraph [0150]; Perlman et al. further disclose in connection with FIG. 9B that clock and synchronization distribution unit 920 distributes management-related timing signals to the baseband and control unit, analog-to-digital/digital-to-analog unit, RF processing unit, network PHYs, and network switch (see paragraph [0156] and FIG. 9B).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to employ Downie et al.’s monitored smart cable as a management wire carrying the control, status, and timing information taught by Perlman et al., because doing so would allow the cable infrastructure to support configuration, status monitoring, timing distribution, and network-control functions. Perlman et al. emphasize in paragraph [0150] that the network-carried control data may be used to configure subsystems and read subsystem status, and in paragraph [0156] that timing signals may be distributed to the control, conversion, RF-processing, switching, and network-interface subsystems, thereby facilitating centralized management and synchronization of the connected equipment.
Regarding claim 15, Downie et al. are not understood to expressly disclose wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises a battery.
Perlman et al. disclose wherein at least one of the first insert or the second insert comprises a battery (the cable-connected radio may include an internal power source comprising any type of battery 958, including lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries, see paragraph [0165] and FIG. 9C).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to modify at least one of Downie et al.’s connector inserts to include Perlman et al.’s battery 958, because the internal battery would allow the condition sensor and wireless transponder circuitry to continue operating when the smart wire is disconnected and no external cable power is available. Perlman et al. teach in paragraphs [0162] and [0165] that power may be obtained from an internal source and that the internal source may be a battery, thereby providing a known independent-power solution for cable-associated communications circuitry.
Regarding claim 17, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 12; wherein Downie et al. further disclose that the smart cable may employ an RJ connector (see paragraph [0032]).
Downie et al. are not understood to expressly disclose wherein the smart wire is an Ethernet cable.
Perlman et al. disclose wherein the smart wire is an Ethernet cable (wireless transceiver 811 is disposed between RJ-45-connected Category 3, Category 4, Category 5, Category 5e, Category 6, or Category 6a twisted-pair cables, see paragraph [0129], and the twisted-pair cable daisy chain may communicate using Ethernet; see paragraph [0130]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s RJ-connected smart wire as Perlman et al.’s Ethernet twisted-pair cable, because doing so would allow Downie et al.’s connection-monitoring arrangement to be used with conventional Ethernet network equipment and existing RJ-45 infrastructure. Perlman et al. explain in paragraph [0143] that cable selection may advantageously account for existing site cabling, installation cost, cable length, power consumption, and performance requirements.
Regarding claim 18, Downie et al. and Perlman et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 17; wherein Downie et al. further disclose wherein the one or more sensors are voltage or current sensors (the connection-responsive device may detect a voltage or current generated as a result of receiving the plug in the socket, see paragraph [0011]).
Downie et al. are not understood to expressly disclose the circuitry used in the Ethernet embodiment to digitize the detected analog voltage or current for processing by the communications circuitry.
Perlman et al. disclose the circuitry used in the Ethernet embodiment to digitize the detected analog voltage or current for processing by the communications circuitry (see voltage- and current-responsive conversion circuitry suitable for the Ethernet-connected wireless device; wherein A-to-D/D-to-A unit 911 converts analog voltages or currents from RF processing unit 912 into digital data samples supplied to baseband processing and control unit 910, see paragraph [0151] and FIG. 9B).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s voltage or current sensor using Perlman et al.’s analog-to-digital conversion circuitry, because this arrangement would generate digital status data suitable for processing and wireless communication by the smart wire. Perlman et al. teach in paragraph [0151] that sensed analog voltages or currents may be converted into digital data samples and supplied to the control circuitry, thereby predictably facilitating digital status monitoring.
Regarding claim 20, Downie et al. disclose the smart wire of claim 19; wherein Downie et al. additionally disclose a condition sensor capable of detecting light exposure (see paragraph [0039]).
Downie et al., however, are not understood to expressly disclose wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors implemented as fiber-coupled photoresponsive devices.
Perlman et al. disclose the one or more sensors are optical sensors implemented as fiber-coupled photoresponsive devices (wherein the one or more sensors are optical sensors (radio 821 is connected between fiber cables through respective fiber connectors, see paragraph [0135]), and fiber-carried transmitted light is received by a photovoltaic cell or another device responsive to light wavelengths and converted into electrical power (see paragraph [0139]; wherein the disclosed photoresponsive device constitutes an optical sensor under the broadest reasonable interpretation because its electrical output responds to received optical energy).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to implement Downie et al.’s light-responsive condition sensor using the fiber-coupled photoresponsive device taught by Perlman et al., because doing so would provide a known and predictable mechanism for converting light carried by the fiber into an electrical indication that may be evaluated and wirelessly reported as fiber status data. Perlman et al. expressly teach in paragraph [0139] the conversion of fiber-transmitted light through a photovoltaic cell or another light-responsive device, thereby facilitating integration of optical detection with cable-connected electronic circuitry.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. 12,082,093 B2 to Epstein discloses a method for configuring a flexible wireless networking system is disclosed. The system may include multiple Wi-Fi transceivers coupled to each other in parallel and selectively couplable to one or more antennas by respective switches. The method may include obtaining topology information indicating whether and how each antenna is in reach of other antennas, determining, dependent on the topology information, a configuration change including a change in which and how many of the antennas are coupled to the Wi-Fi transceivers, and initiating an activation of a switch to couple one of the antennas to one of the Wi-Fi transceivers or a deactivation of a switch to decouple one of the antennas from one of the Wi-Fi transceivers. The configuration change may be determined using a machine learning model. The configuration change may include deactivating a currently active antenna and activating at least one alternate antenna having a different coverage area.
U.S. 2024/0291706 A1 to Jea et al. disclose an example system is configured to: identify, using network data for a plurality of network devices, a first network device of the plurality of network devices with which a network connection has a connectivity issue; identify, based on a network representation generated from the network data, one or more second network devices from the plurality of network devices that are connected to the first network device; identify a root cause of the connectivity issue based on analysis of the network connection with the first network device using the network data; and send, based on the identified root cause of the connectivity issue, to at least one of the one or more second network devices, instructions for the first network device to perform an action to remediate the connectivity issue, wherein the at least one of the one or more second network devices communicates the instructions to the first network device.
U.S. 2015/0256825 A1 to Priest discloses an apparatus that includes a first communication interface, a second communication interface adapted to transmit and/or receive multimedia data signals to and/or from a device through a wired connection, and a memory circuit adapted to store instructions for conducting one or more wired connection integrity tests. The wired connection integrity tests determine at least whether the apparatus is able to communicate with the device. The apparatus further includes a processing circuit adapted to initiate the one or more wired connection integrity tests by executing the instructions stored in the memory circuit, determine whether each of the one or more wired connection integrity tests initiated passed or failed, and report whether the one or more wired connection integrity tests passed or failed. The wired connection integrity tests may include signal line communication tests, cable integrity and quality tests, and data or video test pattern tests
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TRUNG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1966. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon- Friday 8AM - 4:00PM Eastern Time. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on 571-272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Examiner: /Trung Q. Nguyen/- Art 2858
/RAUL J RIOS RUSSO/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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