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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 10-12, 15, 17-22, 30-34, 36, 38, 42, and 43 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 10 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 30 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 31 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 32 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 33 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 34 recites the limitation "the second-rule-set" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 36 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 38 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 42 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 43 recites the limitation "the step (g)" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 11, 18, and 20-22 are rejected for the same reasons because of the dependency.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-17, 19-35, and 37-44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xu (US 11,616,932).
Regarding claim 1, Xu discloses a method for determining importance of a detected sensor state change event while minimizing power usage in a monitoring-device that detected the sensor state change event, wherein the method comprises steps of:
(a) receiving the sensor state change event from at least one sensor 104a-104n of the monitoring-device (column 5, lines 5-30);
(b) checking if the step (a) received sensor state change event satisfies a first-rule-set of the monitoring-device (col. 5, lines 5-30);
(c) if the sensor state change event from the step (a) satisfies the first-rule-set, then turning on at least one camera 102a-102n of the monitoring-device and capturing visual-information by use of the at least one camera (col. 4, lines 24-35);
(d) if the sensor state change event received from the step (a) does not satisfy the first-rule-set, then keeping the at least one camera in a powered down state (col. 4, lines 24-35); and
(e) if data satisfies the first-rule-set, when the step (c) is initiated, during execution of the step (c), and/or after completion of executing the step (c), then turning on at least one radio 120a-120n of the monitoring-device and transmitting at least a portion of the data to a device that is external to the monitoring-device by using the at least one radio, wherein the data comprises at least one of: information received at the monitoring-device from the step (a) and/or the visual-information (col. 4, lines 36-54, figure 1).
Regarding claim 3, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event is detected motion (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 4, Xu discloses wherein the detected motion is within a controlled space 50 for transitory use (figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Xu discloses wherein the at least one sensor is configured for detecting motion (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 6, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event comprises date-data and time-data as to when the sensor state change event occurred (col. 13, lines 1-45).
Regarding claim 7, Xu discloses wherein the information received at the monitoring-device from the step (a) is at least the sensor state change event received in the step (a) (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 8, Xu discloses wherein the at least the portion of the data from the step (e) comprises at least some of the visual-information, when the visual-information exists (col. 4, lines 36-54).
Regarding claim 9, Xu discloses wherein after the visual-information of the step (c) is captured, if any, then the method causes the at least one camera to return to the powered down state (col. 4, lines 36-54).
Regarding claim 10, as far as definite, Xu discloses that transmission occurs via a low-power wide-area network communication protocol (col. 5, lines 47-67).
Regarding claim 11, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the low-power wide-area network communication protocol is selected from at least one of: LoRa, Sigfox, NB-IoT, or LTE-M (col 4, lines 44-54).
Regarding claim 12, as far as definite, Xu discloses after a transmission causes the at least one radio to return to the lowest power mode or a step of waiting a redetermined amount of time to receive a communication from a server (col. 35, lines 19-35, col. 24, line 45-64) at the monitoring-device and if that predetermined amount of time transpires without receiving the communication, the at least one radio to return to the lowest power mode (col 6, lines 3-19(.
Regarding claim 13, Xu discloses wherein if the visual-information of the step (c) is captured, then the method causes at least one processor 160 of the monitoring-device to extract multi-modal-data from the visual-information, wherein the multi-modal-data at least comprises a description of the visual-information in a human natural language (col. 19, line 65-col. 20, line 14, col. 22, lines 40-55).
Regarding claim 14, Xu discloses wherein a file size of the multi-modal-data is
substantially smaller than a file size of the visual-information (col. 19, line 65-col. 20, line 14, col. 22, lines 40-55).
Regarding claim 15, as far as definite, Xu discloses a low-power wide-area network communication protocol (col. 5, lines 48-65).
Regarding claim 16, Xu discloses wherein the method further comprises a step of receiving at least one reference image from the at least one camera; wherein the method causes at least one processor 160 of the monitoring-device to compare the visual-information, if any, against the at least one reference image (col. 19, line 65-col. 20, line 14, col. 22, lines 40-55).
Regarding claim 17, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein a second-rule-set is satisfied if a difference between the visual-information and a reference image exceeds a predetermined threshold (col. 19, line 65-col. 20, line 14).
Regarding claim 19, as far as definite, Xu discloses a higher power and/or a higher bandwidth data transmission protocol (col. 5, lines 48-54).
Regarding claim 20, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the higher power and/or a higher bandwidth data transmission protocol is configured to 4G, 5G, and/or WiFi wireless communications (col. 4, lines 45-54).
Regarding claim 21, as far as definite, Xu discloses the sensor state change event being also transmitted (figure 1).
Regarding claim 22, as far as definite, Xu discloses multi-modal-data being also transmitted. (col. 4, lines 45-55).
Regarding claim 23, Xu discloses wherein after the step (a) and before the step (b), the method comprises a step of generating additional data for use in the step (b) checking, wherein the sensor state change event comprises the additional data (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 24, Xu discloses wherein the additional data is selected from at least one of: sensor-data from another sensor of the monitoring-device, status information of the monitoring-device, current date information, current time information, and/or GPS location information of the monitoring-device (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 25, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event from the step (a) satisfies the first-rule-set, when a value of the sensor state change event is outside of a range of the first-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 26, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event from the step (a) does not satisfy the first-rule-set, when a value of the sensor state change event is within a range of the first-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 27, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event from the step (a) satisfies the first-rule-set, when a value of the sensor state change event is above a threshold-value of the first-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 28, Xu discloses wherein the sensor state change event from the step (a) does not satisfy the first-rule-set, when a value of the sensor state change event is at or below a threshold-value of the first-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 29, Xu discloses wherein the first-rule-set comprises at least one of: days of the week, times of the day, normal operating days, normal operating hours, a geofence boundary, availability of a network, battery level of the monitoring-device, an acceptable maximum sensor reading, an acceptable minimum sensor reading, a range thereof, and/or a threshold-value thereof (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 30, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the data satisfies a second-rule-set, when a value of the data is outside of a range of the second-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 31, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the data does not satisfy a second-rule-set, when a value of the data is within a range of the second -rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 32, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the data satisfies a second-rule-set, when a value of the data is above a threshold-value of the second-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 33, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein the data does not satisfy a second-rule-set, when a value of the data is at or below a threshold-value of the second-rule-set (col. 5, lines 5-30, col. 8, lines 52-65, col. 20, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 34, as far as definite, Xu discloses wherein a second-rule-set comprises at least one of: days of the week; times of the day; normal operating days; normal operating hours; a geofence boundary; availability of a network; battery level of the monitoring-device; an acceptable maximum sensor reading; an acceptable minimum sensor reading; multi-modal-data content; at least one reference image; a standard image; an average image; key characteristics of the at least one reference image, the standard image, or the average image; a range thereof; and/or a threshold-value thereof (col. 5, lines 5-30).
Regarding claim 35, Xu discloses wherein the at least one radio is selected from: a single radio that is configured for low-power wide-area network communication; two separate radios, a first-radio configured for the low-power wide-area network communication and a second-radio configured for higher power and/or a higher bandwidth data transmission; or a single radio with dual mode functionality that is configured for the low-power wide-area network communication and that is also configured for the higher power and/or a higher bandwidth data transmission (col. 5, lines 48-65).
Regarding claim 37, Xu discloses wherein the device that is external to the monitoring-device is selected from at least one: a server (col 24, lines 45-64, col. 35, lines 19-35) or an end-user-device, wherein the server and the end-user-device are each a computing device (col. 4, lines 36-54).
Regarding claim 38, as far as definite, Xu discloses the device that is external to the monitoring-device being at least one server (col 24, lines 45-64, col. 35, lines 19-35), wherein the at least one server communicates at least one message to at least one of: an end-user-device, an electronic or digital address associated with an end-user, and/or to the monitoring-device (col. 3, lines 1-14).
Regarding claim 39, Xu discloses wherein the method comprises a step of receiving at the at least one server a responsive-communication from the end-user-device or from the electronic or from a digital address associated with the end-user (col. 3, lines 1-14, col 24, lines 45-64, col. 35, lines 19-35).
Regarding claim 40, Xu discloses wherein the method comprises a step of at least one server sending an over-the-air update to the monitoring-device (col. 3, lines 1-14, col 24, lines 45-64, col. 35, lines 19-35).
Regarding claim 41, Xu discloses wherein if the step (c) capturing of the visual-information occurs, then the sensor state change event received in the step (a) is deemed possibly-important and/or possibly-relevant (figure 1, col 4, lines 24-55).
Regarding claim 42, as far as definite, Xu discloses if a transmission does not occur, then the sensor state change event received in the step (a) being deemed not important (figure 1, col 4, lines 24-55).
Regarding claim 43, as far as definite, Xu discloses if transmission occurs, then the sensor state change event received in the step (a) being deemed possibly-important and/or possibly-relevant (figure 1, col 4, lines 24-55).
Regarding claim 44, Xu discloses wherein if the step (c) capturing of the visual-information does not occur, then the sensor state change event received in the step (a) is deemed not important (figure 1, col 4, lines 24-55).
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.
Claim(s) 18, as far as definite, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu in view of Sasaki (US 2007/0147706).
Regarding claim 18, Xu discloses all the claimed subject matter as set forth above in the rejection of claim 1, but does not disclose the reference image being an average of a plurality of images captured over a period of time. Sasaki teaches the use of a reference image being an average of a plurality of images captured over a period of time (paragraph 15). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the reference image being an average of a plurality of images captured over a period of time to the method of Xu as taught by Sasaki for the purpose of effectively monitoring and analyzing data.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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.
Claim 36 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Han, Di Febbo, Smith, and Dekel disclose electronic monitoring systems.
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/ANH V LA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
ANH V. LA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2685
Al
September 29, 2026
