PATENT COOPERATION TREATY
`
`PCT
`
`INTERNATIONAL PRELIlVIINARY REPORT ON PATENTABILITY
`
`(Chapter I of the Patent Cooperation Treaty)
`
`(PCT Rule 44bis)
`
`Applicant’s or agent’s file reference
`P1003896WOOl
`
`FOR FURTHER ACTION
`
`See item 4 below
`
`International filing date (day/month/year)
`International application No.
`29 September 2017 (29.09.2017)
`PCT/JP2017/035597
`International Patent Classification (8th edition unless older edition indicated)
`See relevant information in Form PCT/ISA/237
`
`Priority date (day/month/yeaE)
`13 December 2016 (13.12.2016)
`
`Applicant
`PANASONIC CORPORATION
`
`This international preliminary report on patentability (Chapter I) is issued by the International Bureau on behalf of the
`International Searching Authority under Rule 44 bis.1(a).
`
`This REPORT consists of a total of 10 sheets, including this cover sheet.
`
`In the attached sheets, any reference to the written opinion of the International Searching Authority should be read as a
`reference to the international preliminary report on patentability (Chapter I) instead.
`
`This report contains indications relating to the following items:
`
`Box \o. I
`
`Basis of the report
`
`Box \o. II
`
`Box \o.
`
`
`
`Priority
`
`Non—establishment of opinion with regard to novelty, inventive step and industrial
`applicability
`
`Lack of unity of invention
`
`Reasoned statement under Article 35(2) with regard to novelty, inventive step or
`industrial applicability; citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`Certain documents cited
`
`Certain defects in the international application
`
`Certain observations on the international application
`
`'lhe International Bureau will communicate this report to designated Offices in accordance with Rules 44bis.3(c) and 93bis.1
`but not, except where the applicant makes an express request under Article 23(2), before the expiration of 30 months from
`the priority date (Rule 44bis .2).
`
`The International Bureau of WIPO
`34, chemin des Colombettes
`1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
`Facsimile NO. +41 22 338 82 70
`Form PCT/IB/373 (January 2004)
`
`Date of issuance of this report
`18 June 2019 (18.06.2019)
`
`AuthOHZEd officer
`
`-
`-
`Mlneko MOhrl
`e—mafl; pct.[eam8@wip0.int
`
`
`
`
`
`Box \o.
`
`Box \o.
`
`Box \o.
`
`Box \o.
`
`Box \o.
`
`g |
`
`:|
`
`|:|
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`|:|
`
`g |
`
`:|
`
`|:|
`|:|
`
`

`

`PATENT(HDOPERAITODVTREATY
`
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCHING AUTHORITY
`
`From the
`To:
`
`2‘
`
`qus
`PCT
`
`(
`4}
`104'
`
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCHING AUTHORITY
`
`(PCTRub43MLU
`
`Date of mailing
`2 1 - 1 1 . 2 0 1 7
`(day/month/year)
`FOR FURTHER ACTION
`Applicant's or agent's file reference
`
`P 1 0 0 3 8 9 GWOO 1 See paragraph 2 below
`International application No.
`International filing date (day/month/year)
`Priority date (day/month/year)
`
`29.09.2017
`PCT/JP2017/035597
`International Patent Classification (IPC) or both national classification and IPC
`
`13.12.2016
`
`H04W36/36(2009.01)i, H04W36/08(2009.01)i, H04W36/32(2009.01)i,
`H04W48/16(2009.01)i, H04W88/06(2009.01)i
`Applicant
`
`PANASONIC CORPORATION
`EDDWEDGE
`
`1.
`
`This opinion contains indications relating to the following items:
`
`Box No. I
`
`Basis of the opinion
`
`Box No. II
`
`Priority
`
`Box No. III
`
`Non—establishment of opinion with regard to novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability
`
`Box No. IV
`
`Lack of unity of invention
`
`Box No. V
`
`Box No. VI
`
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.l(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial
`applicability; citations and explanations supporting such statement
`Certain documents cited
`
`Box No. VII
`
`Certain defects in the international application
`
`Box N 0. VIII
`
`Certain observations on the international application
`
`2.
`
`FURTHER ACTION
`
`this opinion will be considered to be a written opinion of the
`If a demand for international preliminary examination is made,
`International Preliminary Examining Authority (“IPEA”) except that this does not apply where the applicant chooses an Authority other
`than this one to be the IPEA and the chosen IPEA has notified the International Bureau under Rule 66.1bisflj) that written opinions of
`this International Searching Authority will not be so considered.
`If this opinion is, as provided above, considered to be a written opinion of the IPEA, the applicant is invited to submit to the IPEA a
`written reply together, where appropriate, with amendments, before the expiration of 3 months from the date of mailing of Form
`PCT/ISA/220 or before the expiration of 22 months from the priority date, whichever expires later.
`For further options, see Form PCT/lSA/220.
`
`Name and mailing address of the ISA/JP
`
`Date of completion of this opinion Authorized officer
`
`Telephone No.
`
`Facsimile No.
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (cover sheet) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`INTERNATIONAL SEARCHING AUTHORITY
`
`Box No. I
`
`Basis of this opinion
`
`
`
`1. With regard to the language. this opinion has been established on the basis of:
`
`
`International application No.
`
`P CT / JP 2 O l 7 / O 3 5 5 9 7
`
`
`g the international application in the language in which it was filed
`a translation of the international application into
`translation furnished for the purposes of international search (Rules 12.3(a) and 23.1(b)).
`
`, which is the language of a
`
`2. D This opinion has been established taking into account the rectification of an obvious mistake authorized by or notified to this
`Authority under Rule 91 (Rule 43bis.1(a))
`
`3- D
`
`With regard to any nucleotide and/or amino acid sequence disclosed in the international application,
`established on the basis of a sequence listing:
`
`this opinion has been
`
`a El
`
`forming part of the international application as filed:
`CI
`in the form of an Annex C/ST.25 text file.
`
`D on paper or in the form of an image file.
`
`b D furnished together with the international application under PCT Rule 13ter.1(a) for the purposes of international search only in
`‘
`the form of an Annex C/ST.25 text file.
`
`c. D furnished subsequent to the international filing date for the purposes of international search only:
`
`CI
`
`in the form of an Annex C/ST.25 text file (Rule 13ter.1(a)).
`
`D on paper or in the form of an image file (Rule l3ter.l(b) and Administrative Instructions, Section 713).
`
`4. D In addition, in the case that more than one version or copy of a sequence listing has been filed or furnished, the required statements
`that the information in the subsequent or additional copies is identical to that forming part of the application as filed or does not go
`beyond the application as filed. as appropriate. were fumished.
`Additional comments:
`
`5.
`
`
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. I) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internatlonal appllcatlon N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JP2017/035597
`INmmmnnnML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`1 .
`
`Statement
`
`Novelty (N)
`
`Inventive step (IS)
`
`Industrial applicability (IA)
`
`Claims
`Claims
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`(PANASON C NleLLClUAL
`WO 2016/170719 A1
`
`
`
`
`
`PROPERTY MANAGfiMfiNl CO., LTD.) 27 October
`
`2016, paragrapqs [0017 ,
`
`[0030]—[0088],
`
`
`
`JP 2010—206543 A (lOSH 3A CORP.)
`
`l6
`
`September 2010, paragraphs [0027],
`
`[0028],
`
`(Family: none)
`[0036]
`[0035 ,
`
`
`
`JP 90’4—94’479 A (NiPPON lfiLflGKAEH AND
`
`
`
`
`
`
`lfiTflPHONfi WfiSl CORP.) 25 December 2014,
`
`paragrapa [0066]
`
`(Family: 1018)
`
`
`
` Document
`
` Document
`
` Document
`
`
`Document
`
`:
`
`:
`
`:
`
`:
`
` Document
`
`:
`
`
`
`
` fig. 276 (Family: none)
`
`
`
`
`
`WO 2013/121670 A1
`
`(SONY CORP.) 22 August
`
`2013, paragraphs [0074]—[0084]
`
`& US
`
`
`
`2015/0036521 A1, paragraphs [00831—[0093]
`
`&
`
`CN 104106289 A
`
`
`
`JP 2013721516 A (lOSH %A CORP.)
`
`31 January
`
`2013, paragraph [0042:
`
`(Family: none)
`
`
`
`
`The invention as in claims 1,
`
`5—6, and 12 does not
`
`
`involve an inventive step in the light of documents 1—3
`
`cited in the ZSR.
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internauonal appl1cat10n N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JP20l7/O35597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`
`Document
`
`1
`
`(in particular, see paragraphs [0017],
`
`
`[0030]*[0088]; fig. 276) discloses
`
`“a wireless terminal that can communicate with a
`
`
`plurality of base Stations (“heterogeneous network”, see
`
`paragrapt
`
`[0017]),
`
`the wireless terminal comprising:
`
`a Storage unit
`
`(“memory", see paragraph [0029],
`
`
`
`2)
`
`that,
`
`
`
`for previoas communications with each of the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`base Stations, stores as a communication history
`’II
`(“historical database Ti
`
`
`
`
`
`the wireless terminal and information
`information o
`
`
`
`, see fig. 3) at least position
`
`
`
`pertaining to tie base stations;
`
`
`
`an acquisition unit
`
`(“position information
`
`
`
`
`[0038], fig. 2)
`
`generation unit", see paragraphs [0037 ,
`
`
`
`that acquires position information of the wireless
`
` terminal; and
`
`a derivation unit
`
`(“base Station derivation unit",
`
`
`
`
`
`[0040])
`
`
`that, on the basis of the
`
`
`
`
`
`see paragraphs "0039],
`
`
`
`
`position in ormation 0" the wireless terminal and the
`
`communication distory stored in the Storage unit, derives
`
`
`
`
`a connection Standby base station, which is the base
`
`
`
`
`
`
`from the p'urality 0' base stations at least a connection
`
`
`subject base station to be used in data communication and
`
`
`
`station having tqe next highest connection priority a
`
`the connection sibject base station.
`
`
`Document
`
`2
`
`
`(paragraph [0035]) discloses the feature
`
`
`
`of executing communication with an AP given with a first
`
`
`priority if an attempt to connect to the AP was
`
`
`succeSS'u'
`
`The inventions disclosed in document
`
`
`
`2 both belong to the technical field 0' access regulation
`
`
`
`1 and document
`
`
`
`in mobile unit communication systems, and have a common
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internauonal appl1cat10n N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JP20l7/O35597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`
`function and operation, namely connecting to a base
`
`tion on the basis ol
`
`
`the priority. Therefore, a person
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`'lled in the art could easily conceive o: applying the
`
`
`cure disclosed in docnment
`
`disclosed in document
`
`
`
`that performs data communication if an attempt to connect
`
`2 to the invention
`
`Z
`
`to provide “a communication unit
`
`
`
`
`
`
`to the connection subjeCt base station was successful"
`
`
`
`
`
`(corresponding to clairs l, 5, 6, and 12).
`
`
`
`fn addition, performing communications by selecting
`
`
`a next—in—priority AP if communications with the highest
`
`
`priority AP are disconnected is a welleknown feature, as
`
`disclosed ir document
`
`3
`
`(paragraph [0066]),
`
`
`for example.
`
`ConseqLently, a person skilled in the art could
`
`
`_y conceive of applying the well—known feature
`
`_osed ir document
`
`3 to the invention disclosed in
`
`
`
`nt
`
`
`if communications with the conneCtion subject base
`
`
`
`
`
`6, and 12).
`
`
`
`(paragraph [0032])
`
`n above, document
`In addition to the exami
`
`indicates that
`the communication
`
`1
`
`history is updated (corresponding to claim 5). Document 2
`
`(paragraph [0036])
`
`indicates that,
`
`
`if an attempt
`
`to
`
`
`conneCt to the AP given Lne first priority fails, an
`
`attempt is made to conneCt to the AP given the second
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`priority, and if successf‘l, communication is executed
`
`
` with said AP.
`
`(corresponding to claim 6)
`
`Consequently, a person skilled in the art could
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`1 to provide “a base station management unit
`
`n are disconnected, switches the connection subject
`
`tatior used in data communications to the
`
`tion standby base station" (corresponding to claims
`
`
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internauonal appl1cat10n N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JPZOl7/O35597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`the invention as in claims 576
`easily conceive o:
`
`the inventions disclosed in documents 173.
`
`Accordingly, a person skilled in the art could
`
`
`easily have conceived of the invention as in claims 1,
`
`5—
`
`
`6, and 12 from the inventions disclosed in documents 1—3.
`
`involve an inventive step in the light 0: documents
`
`The invention as in claims 2—4 and 8 does no:
`
`
`
`
`
`
`cited in the ISR.
`
`
`in addition to the above examination, document
`
`4
`
`:icular, see paragraphs [OO74]—[0084]) discloses the
`
`
`
`
`cure O" prioritizing an AP included in a conneCtion
`
`AP,
`
`the hOSt device when conneCted to the AP included in the
`
`connection hiStory and the current hOSt device position
`
`
`information is no: greater than a prescribed value.
`
`
`
`1 and document
`The inventions disclosed in document
`
`
`
`4 both belong to the technical field 0" mobile unit
`
`
`communication systems, and have a common lnnction, namely
`
`a terminal deriving a base station as conneCtion
`
`
`destination. Therefore, a person skilled in tne art could
`
`
`
`
`
`
`easily conceive O" app'ying the feature disclosed in
`
`
`
` :ory and setting the conneCtion deStination to said
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`if the di
`r nco b tw n th position in'ormation 0'
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`docnment
`
`
`
`disclosed in docnment
`
`
`
`
`4 to the derivation unit of the invention
`
`\\'
`
`i.
`
`
`
`
`l to configure such that:
`
`diStance based on the wireless terminal position
`
`information and the wireless terminal position
`
`
`
`
`
`
`information incl ded in the communication niStory is not
`
`greater than a prescribed threshold value, a connection
`
`subject base station and a connection standby base
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`
`
`
`
`

`

`Internauonal appl1cat10n N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JP2017/035597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`
`from among n pieces 0: commnnication
`
`Box No. V
`
`station are derived,
`
`hiStory,
`
`
`
`in descending order 0: number 0: allocation
`
`
`
`times" (corresponding to claims 2—3); and “at
`
`leaSt one
`
`conneCtion standby candidate base station having tne next
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`higneSt connection priority after the conneCtion Standby
`
`
`base Station is derived on the basis of n pieces (n being
`
`less than 2) of communication history for
`
`an integer nOt
`
`
`
`which the dis:ance based on the wireless terminal
`
`
`ormation and the wireless terminal position
`position in-
`
`
`
`
`iniormation included in the communication history is
`
`small" (corresponding to claim 8).
`
`
`in addition to the above examination, document
`
`1
`
`(in
`
`particular, see paragraph [0040])
`
`
`
`to communication with a terminal
`
`indicates tnat the base
`
`in the area to wnich the
`
`
`
`station with the highest communication volume pertaining
`
`
`
`terminal belongs is determined to be a conneCtion
`
`
`
`
`
`
`candidate base station. Therefore, a person skilled in
`
`
`:ne art could easily conceive 0t applying the feature
`
`
`4 to the derivation unit o:
`
`
`
`the
`
`
`
`disclosed in document
`
`
`
`invention disclosed in document
`
`1
`
`
`to configure such that
`
`
`“a connection subjeCt base station and a connection
`Standby base Station are derived in descending order 0;
`
`
`data communication volumes,
`from among n pieces (n being
`
`:01,
`
`
`
`an integer nOt
`
`less than 2) 0; communication history
`
`wnich the diStance based on the wireless terminal
`
`
`position information and the wireless terminal position
`
`information included in the communication history is
`
`small" (corresponding to claim 4).
`
`Consequently, a person skilled in the art could have
`
`easily conceived of the invention as in claims 274 and 8
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internauonal appl1cat10n N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JPZOl7/O35597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`from the inventions disclosed in documents 174.
`
`
`
`The invention as in claims 7 and 9—10 is novel and
`
`involves an inventive step in relation to documents 1—4
`
`
`cited in the :SR.
`
`
`Documents L—4 do nOt disclose or suggest:
`
`
`a feature (correspo ding to claim 7) wnerein
`
`“intormation re'ating to the base 8'
`
`
`
`
`in_ormaLion to the e
`
`ec
`
`'
`
`'
`
`
`
`communication disconneCted base s
`
`
`
`
`
`communication disconnection Irom the wireless terminal;
`
`
`
`
`
`ncludeS
`
`tion is a
`
`
`the basis 0; a
`
`and i-
`
`
`
`a Signal
`
`
`:rom the communication disconneCted base
`
`Station is received by the communications unit,
`
`the
`
`derivation unit derives the communication disconnected
`
`
`
`
`
`base Station to be the connection Standby base Station or
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`the connection Standby candidate base Station having the
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`next highest conneCtion priority a ter the connection
`II
`standby base Station ;
`
`\\
`
`a
`
`
`a feature (corresponding to claim 9) wnerein
`
`
`
`monitoring unit
`
`iS "urther provided that detects a
`
`
`communication disconnection from the conneCtion subject
`
`
`base Station, and if a connection disconnection jrom the
`
`conneCtion subjeCt base station is detected,
`
`the base
`
`
`
`
`
`station management unit switches the conneCtion subject
`
`base Station to a communication disconnected base Station
`
`
`for which the wireless terminal connection priority iS
`
`lower
`
`
`than that o:
`
`the connection subject base station
`
`and the conneCtion standby base station"; or
`
`
`a Seature (corresponding to claim 10) wherein “the
`
`
`
`
`communication nistory further includes intormation O" the
`
`
`
`number o: occurrences o; a communication disconnection
`
`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
`
`

`

`Box No. V
`
`Internauonal appllcauon N0.
`WRITTEN OPINION OF THE
`PCT/JPZOl7/O35597
`INmmmnn»ML$MRaflNGAUHmRHY
`Reasoned statement under Rule 43bis.1(a)(i) with regard to novelty, inventive step or industrial applicability;
`citations and explanations supporting such statement
`
`between tne connection subject base station and the
`
`wireless terminal, and the derivation unit derives the
`
`connection subjeCt base station and the conneCtion
`
`standby base station,
`
`
`
`
`
`from among n pieces of
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`and the nnmber of communication disconneCtion
`
`occurrences”.
`
`
`A person ski'led in the art could nOt easily
`
`
`
`conceive 0: such Seatures
`rom the inventions disclosed
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`in documents 1—4.
`
`The invention as in claim ll is novel and involves
`
`an inventive Step in relation to documents 1—5 cited in
`
`
`
`
`the :SR .
`
`
`Document
`
`5
`
`indicates that,
`
`see paragraph [0042])
`(in particular,
`
`
`in the calcu'ation O“ the diStance
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`between terminals for determining a communication path,
`
`
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`
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`fixed weighting ratio is applied '
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`radio waves do not easily propaga'
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`'
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`direction compared to the horizon
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`However,
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`there is no motivation
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`invention disclosed in document
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`5 to
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`disclosed in documents 1, 2,
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`3 or doc
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`communication hiStory with a small diStance, on the basis
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`
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`of the di
`r nc
`b tw n th number 0: allocation times
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`ne hei
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`
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`t because
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`tical
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`Consequently,
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`a person skilled in the art could not
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`have easily conceived of the invention as in claim ll
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`
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` from the inventions disclosed in documents 1—5.
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`Form PCT/ISA/237 (Box No. V) (January 2015)
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`