`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMlVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`
`
`
`
`14/829,693
`
`08/19/2015
`
`Shojirou KIDO
`
`NHPP0143US
`
`5564
`
`12/26/2017 —MARK D. SARALINO (PAN) m
`7590
`51921
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`LIU’ L1
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
`
`2636
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`12/26/2017
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
`
`ipdocket @rennerott0.c0m
`
`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 14/829,693 KIDO, SHOJIROU
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`2636LI LIU $233
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions 0137 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
`
`-
`-
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`Status
`
`1)IXI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 11/17/2017.
`[I A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|:| This action is non-final.
`2a)IZ| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`
`4)|:I Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under EX parte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)|XI Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-11 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s) 7-_10 is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6 III Claim s) _ is/are allowed.
`
`1-3 5 6 and 11 is/are rejected.
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`is/are objected to.
`
`
`
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
` S
`htt
`://www.usoto. ov/ atents/init events) .h/index.‘
`
`
`
`
`
`, or send an inquiry to PF"I-Ifeedback{<‘buspto.qov.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)IXI The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|:I The drawing(s) filed on _ is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)I:I Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`
`b)I:I Some” c)I:I None of the:
`a)I:I All
`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.I:I Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`
`
`3) D Interview Summary (PT0_413)
`1) D Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`—
`4) I:I Other'
`2) D Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date .
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20171220
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Response to Arguments
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`1.
`
`Applicant's arguments filed on 11/17/2017 have been fully considered but they
`
`are not persuasive.
`
`1). Applicant’s argument — the statement in the original specification regarding
`
`the "4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (4PPM) coding rule of CP-1223 standard" is in
`
`error. The coding rule of the CP-1223 is l-4PPM according to the CP-1223 standard
`
`itself.
`
`With its amendment to the specification applicant seeks to correct this error.
`
`4PPM, which was clearly an error, is replaced throughout the specification by the
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`intended meaning l-4PPM, the coding rule of CP-1223. With the amendment entered
`
`the specification including the sentence at page 14, lines 25-27 is no longer in error. No
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`new matter has been added.
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`Examiner’s response — In the original disclosure, the specification states “A1 may
`
`be a filed having a predetermined fixed pattern. A1 has the pattern, for example, as
`
`illustrated in FIG. 5. A1 illustrated in FIG. 5 is a signal having 6 slots "101010". Here, a
`
`signal of "1" indicates a "dark" state (the state where the light source does not emit
`
`light), while a signal of "0” indicates a "bright" state (the state where the light source
`
`emits light). In this case, A1 has a pattern not complying with 4PPM coding rule. Since
`
`A1 does not comply with 4PPM coding rule, there are advantages that A1 can be easily
`
`distinguished from the other fields in frame 211” (Specification pages 11 line 21 to page
`
`12line1).
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`According to applicant’s argument, “The CP-1223 standard referenced in the
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`Specification is clear (see CP-1223 standard disclosed in IDS of August 19, 2015) that
`
`in the Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM) a signal of "1" indicates a
`
`"dark" state (the state where the light source does not emit light), while a signal of "0"
`
`indicates a "bright" state (the state where the light source emits light)” (refer to
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`REMARKS filed on 2/10/2017, 7/14/2017 and 11/17/2017), the A1 pattern shown in
`
`Figure 5 is clearly an lnverted-4PPM.
`
`That is, the original specification and Figure 5 clearly indicate that the recognition
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`part is complying with l-4PPM.
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`2). Applicant’s argument — The Office Action mentioned the corresponding
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`Japanese application JP2014-183714 as being consistent with the originally filed
`
`specification in this application. Please note that the Japanese counterpart application
`
`has not yet been examined, and thus the appropriate amendments cannot yet be made.
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`Applicant will be amending that application in the same manner as the present
`
`application when the corresponding process in Japan allows it.
`
`Examiner’s response — the Examiner checked the foreign priority document
`
`JP2014-183714 again. No amendment to the original application has been filed.
`
`Therefore, the amendment to the US patent application is still not supported by the
`
`foreign application.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`3). Applicant’s argument — the CF disclosed by Balasubramanian is a bit
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`sequence "01111110". Thus, the CF complies with l-4PPM coding rule because in each
`
`of the first four bits "0111" and the next four bits "1110", only one of the four consecutive
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`bits is 0. Thus CF ("01111110") complies with the I-4PPM coding rule.
`
`Moreover, the claims recite that "in the recognition part, a time-series pattern
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`including a bright state where the light source emits the visible light and a dark state
`
`where the light source does not emit the visible light has a pattern not complying with
`
`Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (I-4PPM) coding rule of CP-1223 standard."
`
`The Office Action seems to not address these features of the claims. Balasubramanian
`
`discloses a technique related to (Infrared Data) erA (Le, not visible light) and, thus,
`
`does not disclose the amended claim features reciting a visible light.
`
`Examiner’s response — First, the modulation schemes used by Balasubramanian
`
`are: ASK, NRZI etc., but not the 4PPM. And more, Balasubramanian does not state that
`
`the “0111” is used to encode two message bits (e.g., “00” etc.). The flag of the form
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`01111110 is commonly known as High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) flag, which is a
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`data link protocol that uses a unique bit sequence to delimit the start and end of each
`
`packet data unit transported by the data link layer service. In HDLC, frames are
`
`delimited by a sequence of bits known as a "flag"; and the HDLC is based on IBM's
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`SDLC protocol, which is the layer 2 protocol for IBM's Systems Network Architecture
`
`(SNA). Note: IBM is the assignee of reference Balasubramanian patent. That is, the CF
`
`is not encoded according to a PPM or l-PPM coding rule.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`Second, Balasubramanian discloses a wireless optical communication, although
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`it is “related to (Infrared Data) erA”, it is obvious to one skilled in the art that the coding
`
`scheme can be used in the visible light communications. Also, the primary reference
`
`Murayama et al teaches a visible light communications. Therefore, the combination of
`
`Murayama et al and Balasubramanian teaches/suggests the claimed features.
`
`4). Applicant’s argument — CLAIM REJECTIONS UNDER 35 U.S.C. @ 103
`
`The Office action rejected claims 1-3, 5, 6, and 11 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as
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`unpatentable over prior art combinations including Murayama (US 2013/0343762) and
`
`Balasubramanian (US 5,557,634).
`
`Examiner’s response — Refer to pages 14-22 of the Non-Final Office Action sent
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`on 8/24/2017, the claims are also rejected as unpatentable over prior art combinations
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`including Murayama and Freitas et al (US 5,321,542) and Hermann (US 2008/0231434)
`
`and/or Ryan et al (US 2015/0147067). No arguments related to references Freitas et al
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`and Hermann and Ryan et al are presented in the REMARKS filed on 11/17/2017.
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`Therefore, the Examiner has concluded that these rejections are proper.
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`Response to Amendment
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`2.
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`The amendment to Specification filed on 2/10/2017 is objected to under 35
`
`U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a)
`
`states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the
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`invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`follows: “the preamble has a pattern that cannot be generated by coding according to
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`Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM) coding rule, in other words, a pattern
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`not complying with I-4PPM coding rule”, “A payload is coded according to l-4PPM
`
`coding rule” and “A1 has a pattern not complying with I-4PPM coding rule. Since A1
`
`does not comply with l-4PPM coding rule, there are advantages that A1 can be easily
`
`distinguished from the other fields in frame 21 1
`
`In the REMARKS filed on 2/10/2017, the Applicant argues “[t]he Specification of
`
`the present application has been amended herein to correct a clear error. As illustrated
`
`in FIG. 5 (shown below) A1 has a pattern in which a signal of "1" indicates a "dark" state
`
`(the state where the light source does not emit light), while a signal of "0" indicates a
`
`"bright" state (the state where the light source emits light). The CP-1223 standard
`
`referenced in the Specification is clear (see CP-1223 standard disclosed in IDS of
`
`August 19, 2015) that in the Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (1 -4PPM) a signal
`
`of "1" indicates a "dark" state (the state where the light source does not emit light), while
`
`a signal of "0" indicates a "bright" state (the state where the light source emits light).
`
`Thus, the amendments to the Specification of the present application merely correct this
`
`clear error. No new matter has been added.”
`
`However, first, the pattern shown in Figure 5 is clearly complying with l-4PPM, in
`
`which a signal of "1" indicates a "dark" state (the state where the light source does not
`
`emit light), while a signal of "0" indicates a "bright" state (the state where the light
`
`source emits light)”.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`Second, in the original disclosure, it is clearly stated “the preamble has a pattern
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`that cannot be generated by coding according to 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation
`
`(4PPM) coding rule, in other words, a pattern not complying with 4PPM coding rule. The
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`preamble has a time length of, for example, 12 slots” (original Specification: page 9 line
`
`26 to page 10 line 3), “A payload is coded according to 4PPM coding rule. A payload
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`has, for example, 128 bits (256 slots)” (original Specification: page 10 lines 9-12), and
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`“A1 has a pattern not complying with 4PPM coding rule. Since A1 does not comply with
`
`4PPM coding rule, there are advantages that A1 can be easily distinguished from the
`
`other fields in frame 211” (original Specification: page 11 line 25 to page 12 line 1). That
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`is, the original disclosure clearly states that the preamble and A1 field are not complying
`
`with 4PPM coding rule, but the payload is coded according to 4PPM coding rule.
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`Therefore, the original disclosure does not have a “clear error”, all the statements
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`are consistent. Then, the amendment to the Specification filed on 2/10/2017 is not “to
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`correct a clear error”, the amendment to the Specification adds new matter.
`
`The Examiner checked the foreign priority document JP2014-183714 again. No
`
`amendment to the original application has been filed. Therefore, the amendment to the
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`US patent application is still not supported by the foreign application.
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`Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
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`3.
`
`The substitute specification filed on 2/10/2017 has not been entered.
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`Specification
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 1 12
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`4.
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`
`IN GENERAL—The specification shall contain a written description of the
`(a)
`invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise,
`and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it
`is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode
`contemplated by the inventor orjoint inventor of carrying out the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
`
`The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the
`manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to
`enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly
`connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the
`inventor of carrying out his invention.
`
`5.
`
`Claims 1-3, 5, 6 and 11 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-
`
`AIA), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The
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`claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a
`
`way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint
`
`inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had
`
`possession of the claimed invention.
`
`Claims 1 and 11, and thus depending claims 2, 3, 5 and 6, recites the limitations
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`"in the recognition part, a time-series pattern including a bright state where the light
`
`source emits the visible light and a dark state where the light source does not emit the
`
`visible light has a pattern not complying with Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-
`
`4PPM) coding rule of CP-1223 standard". However, according to the original disclosure,
`
`the recognition part has a pattern complying does not comply with 4PPM coding rule of
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 9
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`CP-1223 standard. The original disclosure does not state that the recognition part has a
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`pattern not complying with Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation jl-4PPM) coding
`
`rule of CP-1223 standard. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described
`
`in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant
`
`art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the
`
`application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`6.
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`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
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`correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of
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`rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be
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`the same under either status.
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`7.
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
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`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.
`
`8.
`
`Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Murayama et al (US 2013/0343762) in view of Balasubramanian et al (US 5,557,634).
`
`1). With regard to claim 1, Murayama et al discloses a visible light
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`communication device (Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 etc.) comprising:
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 10
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`a light source unit (2/3 in Figures 2-5) configured to emit visible light for visible
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`light communication; and
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`a control circuit (10/11/5 in Figures 5 and 6) that generates an original signal of
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`the light to be emitted by the light source unit,
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`wherein the control circuit generates the original signal that includes a payload
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`part (e.g., the ID information and Additional information in Figure 7), a Cyclic
`
`Redundancy Check (CRC) part (the CRC in Figure 7), the payload part including
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`identification information (the ID information in Figure 7) identifying the visible light
`
`communication device, the CRC part being determined according to data indicated in
`
`the payload part (basic feature of the CRC).
`
`But, Murayama et al does not expressly disclose a recognition part, and in the
`
`recognition part, a time-series pattern including a bright state where the light source
`
`emits the visible light and a dark state where the light source does not emit the visible
`
`light has a pattern not complying with Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM)
`
`coding rule of CP-1223 standard.
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`However, to put an additional part at the end of a frame is well known in the art,
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`e.g., Balasubramanian et al discloses an optical communication system/method, in
`
`which a closing flag (CF in Figure 4) is used to indicate the end of frame; and the
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`closing flag is arranged immediately subsequent to the CRC part; and the CF part has a
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`time-series pattern including a bright state (“1” in the binary “01111110” ofthe closing
`
`flag in Figure 4) where the light source emits the light and a dark state (“0” in the binary
`
`“01111110” ofthe closing flag in Figure 4) where the light source does not emit the light
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 11
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`has a pattern not complying with Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM)
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`coding rule of CP-1223 standard (refer to 112 rejection above. Balasubramanian:
`
`“01111110” binary is not complying with 4PPM coding rule of CP-1223 standard.
`
`Column 4 lines 10-27, the modulation schemes used by Balasubramanian are: ASK,
`
`NRZI etc., but not the 4PPM. And more, Balasubramanian does not state that the
`
`“0111” is used to encode two message bits (e.g., “00” etc.). The flag of the form
`
`01111110 is commonly known as High-Level Data Link Control (HDLC) flag, which is a
`
`data link protocol that uses a unique bit sequence to delimit the start and end of each
`
`packet data unit transported by the data link layer service. In HDLC, frames are
`
`delimited by a sequence of bits known as a "flag"; and the HDLC is based on IBM's
`
`SDLC protocol, which is the layer 2 protocol for IBM's Systems Network Architecture
`
`(SNA). Note: IBM is the assignee of reference Balasubramanian patent. That is, the CF
`
`is not encoded according to a PPM or l-PPM coding rule).
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to insert a recognition part or closing flag at
`
`the end of a frame as taught by Balasubramanian et al to the system of Murayama et al
`
`so that the receiver can easily recognize the end of the frame, and also easily and
`
`conveniently recognize the CRC part that is immediately ahead of the closing flag.
`
`2). With regard to claim 2, Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al disclose all
`
`of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Murayama et
`
`al and Balasubramanian et al further discloses wherein the recognition part is shorter
`
`than a preamble part arranged immediately prior to the payload part (Balasubramanian:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 12
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`the preamble part has two opening flag, OF+OF, which is two binary "01111110"; but
`
`the closing flag has one binary 01111110).
`
`3). With regard to claim 3, Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al disclose all
`
`of the subject matter as applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Murayama et
`
`al and Balasubramanian et al further discloses wherein the recognition part has a
`
`predetermined fixed signal pattern binary (Balasubramanian: 01111110).
`
`9.
`
`Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murayama
`
`et al and Balasubramanian et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of
`
`Knapp et al (US 2013/0183042).
`
`Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al disclose all of the subject matter as
`
`applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Murayama et al and Balasubramanian
`
`et al further discloses wherein the recognition part is a signal that enables a receiving
`
`device receiving the light to find the CRC part arranged immediately prior to the
`
`recognition part (Balasubramanian: the CRC part is arranged immediately prior to the
`
`closing flag CF. Since the closing flag CF is last field, when the CF is received, the
`
`
`receiver knows the field before the CF is the CRC. That is, the closing flag enables a
`
`receiving device receiving the light to find the CRC part).
`
`But, Murayama et al does not expressly disclose receiving device receiving the
`
`light to identify the visible light communication device by using the CRC part.
`
`However, Knapp et al discloses an visible light communication and “[b]y
`
`programming a unique manufacturer ID into each controlled device and using such ID
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
`
`Page 13
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`as a seed for the CRC checksum, only messages sent by applications that use the
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`same ID as the CRC checksum seed will be accepted” ([0044]). That is, from the CRC
`
`the ID can be obtained since the ID is the seed for the CRC checksum; and the ID
`
`information is not necessary to be put in the payload field, and then more other
`
`information can be transmitted, or the frame can be made shorter.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teaching of Knapp et al to the
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`system/method of Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al so that the receiver can
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`use the CRC to identify the visible light communication device to reduce the process
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`time.
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`10.
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`Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Murayama
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`et al and Balasubramanian et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ryan
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`et al (US 2015/0147067).
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`Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al disclose all of the subject matter as
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`applied to claim 1 above. And the combination of Murayama et al and Balasubramanian
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`et al further discloses wherein the control circuit generates (a) the original signal
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`including a part of the identification information (Balasubramanian: Figure 4).
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`But, Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al do not expressly disclose a radio
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`beacon transmission circuit that transmits a signal by radio waves, wherein the control
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`circuit generates (b) a signal including a remaining part of the identification information,
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`and causes the radio beacon transmission circuit to transmit (b) the signal generated.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 14
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`But, to use a radio beacon transmission circuit to transmit an ID information is
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`known in the art. E.g., Ryan discloses a visible light communication (VLC)
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`system/method, and a radio beacon transmission circuit (e.g., 1110 in Figure 11)
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`transmits a signal by radio waves, wherein the control circuit generates (b) a signal
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`including a remaining part of the identification information (RF ID, Figures 12 and 13
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`etc.), and causes the radio beacon transmission circuit to transmit (b) the signal
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`generated.
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`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply a radio circuit as taught by Ryan et
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`al to the system/method of Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al so that the ID of
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`the VLC can be quickly and conveniently identified.
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`11.
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`Claims 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Murayama et al (US 2013/0343762) in view of Balasubramanian et al (US 5,557,634)
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`and Ryan et al (US 2015/0147067).
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`Murayama et al discloses a receiving device (Figures 8 and 12; also refer Figure
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`11, the receiving device 60/61) for visible light communication, the receiving device
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`comprising:
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`a light receiver (31 in Figure 8) that receives light from a visible light
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`communication device; and
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`a control circuit (37 in Figure 8) that extracts an original signal of the light
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`received by the light receiver,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 15
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`But, Murayama et al does not expressly disclose wherein the control circuit
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`obtains a recognition part from the original signal, and obtains a CRC part arranged
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`immediately prior to the obtained recognition part from the original signal as a signal for
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`identifying the visible light communication device; and in the recognition part, a time-
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`series pattern including a bright state where the light source emits the visible light and a
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`dark state where the light source does not emit the visible light has a pattern not
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`complying with lnverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM) coding rule of CP-
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`1223 standard.
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`Regarding the recognition part, however, to put an additional part at the end of a
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`frame is well known in the art, e.g., Balasubramanian et al discloses an optical
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`communication system/method, in which a closing flag (CF in Figure 4) is used to
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`indicate the end of frame; and the closing flag is arranged immediately subsequent to
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`the CRC part; and the CF part has a time-series pattern including a bright state (“1” in
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`the binary “01111110” ofthe closing flag in Figure 4) where the light source emits the
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`light and a dark state (“0” in the binary “01111110” ofthe closing flag in Figure 4) where
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`the light source does not emit the light has a pattern not complying with lnverted 4-ary
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`Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM) coding rule of CP-1223 standard (refer to 112
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`rejection above. Balasubramanian: “01111110” binary is not complying with 4PPM
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`coding rule of CP-1223 standard. Column 4 lines 10-27, the modulation schemes used
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`by Balasubramanian are: ASK, NRZI etc., but not the 4PPM. And more,
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`Balasubramanian does not state that the “0111” is used to encode two message bits
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`(e.g., “00” etc.). The flag of the form 01111110 is commonly known as High-Level Data
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 16
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`Link Control (HDLC) flag, which is a data link protocol that uses a unique bit sequence
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`to delimit the start and end of each packet data unit transported by the data link layer
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`service. In HDLC, frames are delimited by a sequence of bits known as a "flag"; and the
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`HDLC is based on IBM's SDLC protocol, which is the layer 2 protocol for IBM's Systems
`
`Network Architecture (SNA). Note: IBM is the assignee of reference Balasubramanian
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`patent. That is, the CF is not encoded according to a PPM or I-PPM coding rule).
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to insert a recognition part or closing flag at
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`the end of a frame as taught by Balasubramanian et al to the system of Murayama et al
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`so that the receiver can easily recognize the end of the frame, and also easily and
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`conveniently recognize the CRC part that is immediately ahead of the closing flag.
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`Regarding CRC as a signal for identifying the visible light communication device,
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`Knapp et al discloses an visible light communication and “[b]y programming a unique
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`manufacturer ID into each controlled device and using such ID as a seed for the CRC
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`checksum, only messages sent by applications that use the same ID as the CRC
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`checksum seed will be accepted” ([0044]). That is, from the CRC the ID can be obtained
`
`since the ID is the seed for the CRC checksum.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teaching of Knapp et al to the
`
`system/method of Murayama et al and Balasubramanian et al so that the receiver can
`
`use the CRC to identify the visible light communication device to reduce the process
`
`time.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 17
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`12.
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`Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Murayama et al (US 2013/0343762) in view of Freitas et al (US 5,321,542) and
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`Hermann (US 2008/0231434).
`
`1). With regard to claim 1, Murayama et al discloses a visible light
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`communication device (Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 etc.) comprising:
`
`a light source unit (2/3 in Figures 2-5) configured to emit visible light for visible
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`light communication; and
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`a control circuit (10/11/5 in Figures 5 and 6) that generates an original signal of
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`the light to be emitted by the light source unit,
`
`wherein the control circuit generates the original signal that includes a payload
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`part (e.g., the ID information and Additional information in Figure 7), a Cyclic
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`Redundancy Check (CRC) part (the CRC in Figure 7), the payload part including
`
`identification information (the ID information in Figure 7) identifying the visible light
`
`communication device, the CRC part being determined according to data indicated in
`
`the payload part (basic feature of the CRC).
`
`But, Murayama et al does not expressly disclose a recognition part, and in the
`
`recognition part, a time-series pattern including a bright state where the light source
`
`emits the visible light and a dark state where the light source does not emit the visible
`
`light has a pattern not complying with Inverted 4-ary Pulse Position Modulation (l-4PPM)
`
`coding rule of CP-1223 standard.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 14/829,693
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`Page 18
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`Art Unit: 2636
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`However, to put an additional part at the end of a frame is well known in the art,
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`e.g., Freitas et al discloses an optical communication system/method (Figures 1-4), in
`
`which a trailer field (48g in in Figure 4) is used to indicate the end of frame; and the
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`trailer field is arranged immediately subsequent to the CRC part; and the trailer field has
`
`a time-series pattern including a bright state (column 5 line 25, on-