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 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.
Claims 1-3, 6-8, 11 and 14-17 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20170058783A) in view of Kamkar et al. (US 10,257,708).
As of claims 1, 11 and 14, Kim discloses a beacon circuit (via reader 200; see fig. 1), the beacon circuit comprising:
a transmitter (via reader 200; see page 2, lines 30-35);
wherein the beacon circuit is configured to repetitively transmit a beacon signal to initiate subsequent communication with a receiver (via reader 200 transmitting a beacon signal through a narrowband channel to initiate subsequent communication with a tag 100; see paragraphs [005]-[007], paragraphs are labeled by the Examiner) ; wherein the beacon signal employs a communication channel (via narrowband channel) which consumes less power than a communication channel (via UWB-channel; see paragraphs [005]-[007]) for the subsequent communication and wherein the beacon signal comprises an indication of time of the subsequent communication ( see page 2, see paragraphs [005]-[007] “a tag 100 receives a beacon signal from a reader 200 through a narrowband channel and is allocated a time slot (TS)”).
Recitation “for use with electronic locks” is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention' s limitations. Thus, the preamble of the claim(s) is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See MPEP § 2111.02.
However, Kim does not explicitly disclose that the beacon signal comprises an application identifier that is usable to trigger the subsequent communication to occur with a particular application of a key device.
Kamkar discloses beacon circuit 110 for use with the electronic locks (see fig. 3), wherien beacon signal comprises an application identifier that is usable to trigger the subsequent communication to occur with a particular application of a key device (see col. 1, lines 25-35).
From the teaching of Kamkar it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Kim to include the function of including an identifier in the beacon signal to trigger an application as taught by Kamkar in order to automatically trigger execution of the entry access application when a mobile device installed with the entry access application enters in range of the beacon transmitter.
As of claims 2 and 16, Kim discloses communication channel for the subsequent communication is based on ultra-wideband, UWB (via UWB; see page 2, lines 30-35), while the communication channel for the beacon signal is more narrowband than UWB (via narrowband channel; see paragraphs [005]-[007]).
As of claims 3 and 17, Kamkar discloses that the beacon signal comprises an identity of a device of the beacon circuit (via including an identifier of beaconing device 110; see col. 5, lines 22-30 and col. 6, lines 54-60).
As of claim 6, Kim discloses that the beacon signal comprises a slot rate for the subsequent communication see paragraphs [005]-[007] “a tag 100 receives a beacon signal from a reader 200 through a narrowband channel and is allocated a time slot (TS)”.
As of claims 7 and 20, Kamkar discloses that the beacon signal comprises connection data that is usable for establishing the communication channel for the subsequent communication (via including a Service Set Identifier (SSID); see col. 6, lines 54-60).
As of claims 8 and 21, Kamkar discloses that the connection data comprises an identifier of a network to use for the communication channel for the subsequent communication (via including a Service Set Identifier (SSID); see col. 6, lines 54-60).
As of claim 15, Kim discloses establishing the subsequent communication in correspondence with the indication of time (see paragraphs [005]-[007] “a tag 100 receives a beacon signal from a reader 200 through a narrowband channel and is allocated a time slot (TS). And transmits the position signal to the allocated time slot through the UWB channel”).
Claims 4-5 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20170058783A) in view of Kamkar et al. (US 10,257,708) and further in view of Thanayankizil (US Pub 2018/0035245).
As of claims 4-5 and 18-19, combination of Kim and Kamkar discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as mentioned in claim 1 above, however it does not explicitly disclose that the beacon signal comprises communication capabilities supported by the device of the beacon circuit wherein the capabilities comprise any one or more of supported bitrate(s), supported frequencies, supported communication protocol(s), supported communication protocol version(s).
Thanayankizil discloses an access point periodically transmitting a beacon frame wherein beacon frame contains a header, a body, and a frame check sequence (FCS). The beacon frame can include information about the transmitting device (e.g., supported frequency channels, network information, and device information), metadata (e.g., timestamps), traffic information (e.g., a traffic indication map (TIM)), etc. (see paragraph [0048]).
From the teaching of Thanayankizil it would have been it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the combination of Kim and Kamkar to transmit beacon frame containing communication capability of the transmitting device as taught by Thanayankizil since it is well known in the art that the beacon frame comprises such information to notify the receiving device of the communication capabilities of the transmitting device.
Claims 9-10 and 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (KR 20170058783A) in view of Kamkar et al. (US 10,257,708) and further in view of Girard et al. (US Pub 2017/0104728).
As of claims 9-10 and 22-23, combination of Kim and Kamkar discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as mentioned in claim 7 above, however it does not explicitly disclose that the beacon signal comprises an encrypted password for the network to use for the subsequent communication.
Girard discloses that a wireless access point 30 broadcasts encrypted network access information, including a password that is used by device 11 to connect to the wireless access point (see fig.1; also see claim 1).
From the teaching of Girard, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the combination of Kim and Kamkar to include the function of broadcasting encrypted network information as taught by Girard to auto connect with the wireless access points.
Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, Kamkar and further in view of Murar et al. (US Pub 2017/0236346).
As of claim 12, combination of Kim and Kamkar discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention as mentioned in claim 1 above, however it does not explicitly disclose that a key device comprising the beacon circuit. Examiner would like to point out that based on claim 1, key device is the one receiving the beacon signal, so it is not clear how the key device comprises a beacon circuit and receives the beacon signal. Applicant should delete claims 12-13 if the beacon circuit is part of an access control device. However, to expedite the prosecution of the application, Murar discloses a key device (via fob 12) comprising a beacon circuit (see paragraphs [0079] and [0087]).
From the teaching of Murar it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize a key device with a beacon circuit as taught by Murar in order to locate and detect the key device by a lock (see paragraph [0079] and [0087]).
As of claim 13, Murar discloses that the key device forms part of a smartphone (via device 12 being a keyfob or mobile phone; see paragraph [0050]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hill et al. (US Pub 2013/0262686) discloses that a beacon signal comprises encrypted password (see paragraphs [0197]).
Kita et al. (US Pub 2020/0357213) discloses that an application ID is usable to trigger a particular application of a key device (see paragraphs [0208]-[0209]).
Andrews et al. (US Pub 2015/0120558) discloses that a beacon signal triggers an application in a mobile device (see paragraph [0027]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NABIL H SYED whose telephone number is (571)270-3028. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:00 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta W Goins can be reached at (571) 272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NABIL H SYED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
