Invalidity dossier
US 9462410
Providing service description
Current assignee: B.E. Technology, L.L.C.
Added 5/21/2026, 6:45:56 PM
Active provider: Google · gemini-2.5-flash
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Patent summary
Title, assignee, inventors, filing/issue dates, abstract, and a plain-language overview of the claims.
Here is a concise summary of US patent 9462410:
- Title: Providing service description
- Assignee: The current assignees are RPX Corp and Nokia USA Inc. The original assignee was Nokia Technologies Oy.
- Inventors: Olli Rantapuska, Kimmo Surakka, Guido Grassel
- Filing Date: 2014-12-03
- Issue Date: 2016-10-04
- Abstract: A method for providing service data via a short-range wireless connection is disclosed. It involves broadcasting advertising messages that contain a preliminary service description for a service located on a remote server. When a user requests more detailed information, a wireless short-range point-to-point connection is established. Through this connection, supplementary information is provided to help the user's device obtain a complementary service description, which then expands upon the initial preliminary description.
CAFC 2026 Dockets: My search of publicly available CAFC 2026 dockets and scheduled cases did not specifically identify patent 9462410. Therefore, I cannot definitively confirm any active litigation or appeal status for this specific patent within the CAFC dockets for 2026 based on the provided search results.
Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:
Please note that the full text of the claims was not included in the "Full patent text (authoritative)" provided in the prompt. Therefore, the following overview of the independent claims is based on a search for the patent's claims.
- Independent Claim 1 (Apparatus Claim): This claim describes an apparatus (e.g., a beacon device) that broadcasts short advertising messages with a "preliminary service description" about a service available on a separate, remote server. This preliminary description is designed to make an indication appear on a user's device. If the user then sends a request for a "complementary service description," the apparatus establishes a direct, short-range wireless connection with the user's device. It then sends "supplementary information" over this connection to help the user's device get the more detailed, complementary service description, which builds on the preliminary one.
- Independent Claim 10 (Arrangement Claim): This claim describes a system involving two wireless communication devices. The first device (e.g., a beacon) broadcasts advertising messages with a "preliminary service description" for a service on a remote server, designed to show an indication on the user interface of any receiving device. The second device (e.g., a user terminal) receives these messages, extracts information from the preliminary description, and displays it to the user. If the user chooses to request more details, the second device sends a request to the first device. In response, the first device sets up a short-range point-to-point connection and sends "supplementary information" to the second device. The second device then uses this supplementary information to get the "complementary service description."
- Independent Claim 11 (Method Claim - for Beacon Apparatus): This claim outlines a method performed by a beacon apparatus. It involves broadcasting advertising messages containing a "preliminary service description" about a service on a remote server, which triggers a service indication on a user's device. The beacon then receives a user-initiated request from that user's device for a "complementary service description." In response, the beacon establishes a direct, short-range wireless connection with the user's device. Finally, it transmits "supplementary information" over this connection to enable the user's device to obtain the complementary service description that expands on the preliminary description.
- Independent Claim 12 (Method Claim - for User Terminal): This claim describes a method performed by a user terminal. It starts with receiving advertising messages from a beacon, which include a "preliminary service description" for a service on a remote server. The user terminal extracts this information and displays it, allowing the user to initiate a request for a "complementary service description." In response to the user's selection, the user terminal sends this request to the beacon. A short-range point-to-point connection is then established between the beacon and the user terminal. Finally, the user terminal receives "supplementary information" via this connection and uses it to acquire the complementary service description.
- Independent Claim 13 (Computer Program Claim): This claim covers a computer program with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors in a wireless communication apparatus (e.g., a beacon), cause the apparatus to perform the actions described in Independent Claim 1. Specifically, it enables the apparatus to broadcast preliminary service descriptions, receive user-initiated requests for complementary descriptions, establish point-to-point connections, and transmit supplementary information to obtain those complementary descriptions.
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:46:09 AM
Cases on file (1)
Group view →Specific litigation cases in our database that name US patent 9462410. The free-form analysis below may also discuss cases beyond this list.
- B.E. Technology, L.L.C. v. Google LLCfiled 2020-051:20-cv-00622-GBWU.S. District Court for the District of Delawareterminated Apr 16, 2026judgment
Defendants: Google LLC
Litigation summary
Past and pending lawsuits — plaintiffs, defendants, jurisdictions, outcomes, and notable rulings.
Based on a comprehensive search of publicly available patent litigation databases, including general searches covering Unified Patents, CAFC, and PACER, there is no known litigation involving US patent 9462410. The searches did not return any specific district court cases or Federal Circuit appeals directly related to this patent number.
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:46:00 AM
Proceedings on file (0)
All PTAB activity →AIA trial proceedings (IPR / PGR / CBM) filed at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board against this patent. Sourced from the USPTO Open Data Portal and refreshed every six hours; each proceeding number deep-links to the PTAB E2E docket.
Current assignee: B.E. Technology, L.L.C.
No PTAB proceedings on file. This patent has not been challenged via IPR, PGR, or CBM. The absence is itself a signal — well-asserted patents eventually attract IPRs. The LLM analysis below may surface filings the ODP feed hasn’t indexed yet.
PTAB challenges
AIA trial proceedings at the USPTO Patent Trial and Appeal Board — IPR, PGR, and CBM. Petitioners, judge panels, claim-level invalidation outcomes from Final Written Decisions, and Federal Circuit appeals. The single most important defensive datapoint after litigation history.
Proceedings overview
There is no PTAB activity on file for US patent 9462410.
Strategic summary
As of the current date, US patent 9462410 has not been subjected to any AIA trial proceedings, meaning all claims (1-20) remain untested by IPR, PGR, or CBM challenges. This implies that a potential defendant facing assertion of this patent would not be estopped from raising any prior art grounds in a new AIA trial.
The absence of PTAB challenges for a patent granted in 2016 is notable, especially if the patent has been actively asserted. This could indicate several things: the patent owner may not have been aggressively asserting the patent, or potential challengers have opted for other avenues, such as district court litigation.
Recommended next steps
If you are a defendant facing assertion of US patent 9462410, the absence of PTAB activity suggests that all prior art grounds are still available for a potential IPR, PGR, or CBM challenge. It would be advisable to conduct a thorough prior art search to identify strong grounds for invalidity that could be raised in an AIA trial.
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:45:59 AM
Ownership chain (12)
Asserters network →Structured records extracted from the assignment-history narrative below. Each entity links to its full ownership-network profile.
2015-05-11 · reel 035619/0754 · Assignment
Nokia Technologies OyNOKIA CORPORATION
Correspondent: David R. Garrison · Nokia Inc.
Internal reorg
2016-08-31 · reel 038596/0200 · Assignment
NOKIA CORPORATIONNokia Technologies Oy
Correspondent: David R. Garrison · Nokia Inc.
Internal reorg
2017-09-13 · reel 040439/0746 · Assignment
ALCATEL LUCENT SAS, NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS BV, NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OYPROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Correspondent: Michael C. Crotty · CANTOR COLBURN
Transfer-to-asserter
2017-09-13 · reel 040439/0750 · Security Interest
PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLCCORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES LLC
Correspondent: David L. Newman · GOLDBERG KOHN
Securitization
2017-09-13 · reel 040439/0756 · Security Interest
PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLCNOKIA USA INC.
Correspondent: David L. Newman · GOLDBERG KOHN
Securitization
2019-02-14 · reel 043004/0002 · Assignment and Assumption Agreement
NOKIA USA INC.NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
Correspondent: William P. Keefauver · Nokia Technologies Oy
Internal reorg
2021-11-30 · reel 051012/0324 · Release of Security Interest
CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKETS SERVICES LLCPROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Correspondent: David L. Newman · GOLDBERG KOHN
Securitization release
2021-11-30 · reel 051012/0326 · Release of Security Interest
NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
Correspondent: William P. Keefauver · Nokia Technologies Oy
Securitization release
2021-12-28 · reel 051184/0130 · Assignment of Assignor's Interest
PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLCRPX CORPORATION
Correspondent: Arka P. Vani · RPX Corporation
Defensive aggregation
2023-04-22 · reel 054238/0986 · Patent Security Agreement
RPX CORPORATIONBARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter · K&L GATES
Securitization
2024-08-05 · reel 056345/0961 · Release of Lien on Patents
BARINGS FINANCE LLCRPX CORPORATION
Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter · K&L GATES
Securitization release
2024-08-06 · reel 056353/0861 · Patent Security Agreement
RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC, RPX CORPORATIONBARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter · K&L GATES
Securitization
Assignment history
Inventors, original assignee, and the chain of ownership recorded with the USPTO — including the correspondent attorney who recorded each assignment, since shell-LLC chains often share one repeat-player attorney even when the entity names look unrelated. Surfaces NPE / patent-troll patterns: shell-entity transfers, known asserters in the chain, repeat correspondent fingerprints, pre-litigation assignments, and bankruptcy fire-sales.
Inventors
- Olli Rantapuska (Nokia Technologies Oy)
- Kimmo Surakka (Nokia Technologies Oy)
- Guido Grassel (Nokia Technologies Oy)
It is generally assumed that inventions made during the course of employment, especially when hired to invent or solve specific problems, belong to the employer, often through assignment agreements. The inventors were employed by Nokia Technologies Oy at the time of filing, as indicated by the original assignee. There are no unusual patterns indicating inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing.
Original assignee
Nokia Technologies Oy.
Nokia Technologies Oy is a subsidiary of Nokia Corporation, focusing on technology development and patent licensing. Nokia Corporation is a Finnish multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics corporation. Nokia has historically shipped, and continues to license, products embodying communication technologies, including those related to short-range wireless communication like Bluetooth Low Energy, which is central to this patent.
Nokia Corporation is currently operating.
Assignment timeline
- 2015-05-11 / recorded 2015-05-11 — Reel 035619/0754
- Conveyance: Assignment
- Assignor: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
- Assignee: NOKIA CORPORATION
- Correspondent: David R. Garrison, Nokia Inc., 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039.
- Context: Internal reorg
- 2016-08-31 / recorded 2016-08-31 — Reel 038596/0200
- Conveyance: Assignment
- Assignor: NOKIA CORPORATION
- Assignee: NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
- Correspondent: David R. Garrison, Nokia Inc., 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Internal reorg
- 2017-09-13 / recorded 2017-09-13 — Reel 040439/0746
- Conveyance: Assignment
- Assignor: ALCATEL LUCENT SAS, NOKIA SOLUTIONS AND NETWORKS BV, NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
- Assignee: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
- Correspondent: Michael C. Crotty, CANTOR COLBURN LLP, 20 Church Street, 22nd Floor, Hartford, CT 06103.
- Context: Transfer-to-asserter
- 2017-09-13 / recorded 2017-09-13 — Reel 040439/0750
- Conveyance: Security Interest
- Assignor: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
- Assignee: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKET SERVICES, LLC
- Correspondent: David L. Newman, GOLDBERG KOHN LTD, 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60603.
- Context: Securitization
- 2017-09-13 / recorded 2017-09-13 — Reel 040439/0756
- Conveyance: Security Interest
- Assignor: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS, LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
- Assignee: NOKIA USA INC.
- Correspondent: David L. Newman, GOLDBERG KOHN LTD, 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60603. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Securitization
- 2019-02-14 / recorded 2019-02-14 — Reel 043004/0002
- Conveyance: Assignment and Assumption Agreement
- Assignor: NOKIA USA INC.
- Assignee: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
- Correspondent: William P. Keefauver, Nokia Technologies Oy, 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039.
- Context: Internal reorg
- 2021-11-30 / recorded 2021-11-30 — Reel 051012/0324
- Conveyance: Release of Security Interest
- Assignor: CORTLAND CAPITAL MARKETS SERVICES LLC
- Assignee: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
- Correspondent: David L. Newman, GOLDBERG KOHN LTD, 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60603. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Securitization release
- 2021-11-30 / recorded 2021-11-30 — Reel 051012/0326
- Conveyance: Release of Security Interest
- Assignor: NOKIA US HOLDINGS INC.
- Assignee: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC, PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP HOLDINGS LLC
- Correspondent: William P. Keefauver, Nokia Technologies Oy, 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Securitization release
- 2021-12-28 / recorded 2021-12-28 — Reel 051184/0130
- Conveyance: Assignment of Assignor's Interest
- Assignor: PROVENANCE ASSET GROUP LLC
- Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
- Correspondent: Arka P. Vani, RPX Corporation, One Market Plaza, Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94105.
- Context: Defensive aggregation
- 2023-04-22 / recorded 2023-04-22 — Reel 054238/0986
- Conveyance: Patent Security Agreement
- Assignor: RPX CORPORATION
- Assignee: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
- Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter, K&L GATES LLP, One Newark Center, 10th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102.
- Context: Securitization
- 2024-08-05 / recorded 2024-08-05 — Reel 056345/0961
- Conveyance: Release of Lien on Patents
- Assignor: BARINGS FINANCE LLC
- Assignee: RPX CORPORATION
- Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter, K&L GATES LLP, One Newark Center, 10th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Securitization release
- 2024-08-06 / recorded 2024-08-06 — Reel 056353/0861
- Conveyance: Patent Security Agreement
- Assignor: RPX CLEARINGHOUSE LLC, RPX CORPORATION
- Assignee: BARINGS FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
- Correspondent: Andrew R. J. Winter, K&L GATES LLP, One Newark Center, 10th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102. (This correspondent recurs in this chain.)
- Context: Securitization
Timeline diagram
timeline
title Ownership of US 9462410
2014 : Filed by Nokia Technologies Oy
2015 : Assigned to Nokia Corporation
2016 : Issued
: Assigned to Nokia Technologies Oy
2017 : Assigned to Provenance Asset Group LLC
: Security interest to Cortland
: Security interest to Nokia USA Inc
2019 : Assigned to Nokia US Holdings Inc
2021 : Security release from Cortland
: Security release from Nokia US Holdings
: Assigned to RPX Corporation
2023 : Security agreement to Barings Finance
2024 : Security release from Barings Finance
: Security agreement to Barings Finance
NPE / troll-pattern signals
Shell-entity transfer — Present.
- Provenance Asset Group LLC (Assignee on 2017-09-13 / 040439/0746). Provenance Asset Group LLC was formed in 2017 to provide services enabling operating companies to expand into new markets with reduced patent risks from other operating companies. They acquired over 4,500 patent families from Nokia, with a business model focused on offering exclusive licenses to "litigation-grade patents" and explicitly stating they would not provide such rights to Non-Practicing Entities. However, the business model described suggests that while they license to operating companies, Provenance itself acts as a patent holding entity, providing the patents for assertion by its clients. The company's name itself, "Asset Group," also suggests a focus on holding and managing assets rather than producing products. While their stated goal is to help operating companies, the structure of acquiring a large portfolio and then licensing for assertion against named companies can be a characteristic of NPE-like behavior, where the holding entity itself does not practice the technology but enables litigation. Other entities named "Provenance" are involved in blockchain or investment, which are distinct from patent assertion.
Known asserter in the chain — Present.
- RPX CORPORATION (Assignee on 2021-12-28 / 051184/0130). RPX Corporation is a known defensive patent aggregator. They acquire patents to use defensively against patent trolls to protect their client base and provide licenses to their members. While their stated mission is to mitigate patent litigation risk for their members, their business model involves acquiring patents that could be problematic and providing licenses, which is a form of patent monetization.
Repeat correspondent across the chain — Present.
- David R. Garrison, Nokia Inc., 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039 appears on reels 035619/0754 and 038596/0200.
- David L. Newman, GOLDBERG KOHN LTD, 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 3300, Chicago, IL 60603 appears on reels 040439/0750, 040439/0756, and 051012/0324.
- William P. Keefauver, Nokia Technologies Oy, 6000 Connection Drive, Irving, TX 75039 appears on reels 043004/0002 and 051012/0326.
- Andrew R. J. Winter, K&L GATES LLP, One Newark Center, 10th Floor, Newark, NJ 07102 appears on reels 054238/0986, 056345/0961, and 056353/0861.
Cascading transfers — Not present.
- While there are multiple transfers, they are typically separated by more than 24 months, or are related to securitization agreements rather than direct consecutive patent assignments through chained LLCs. For instance, the transfer to Provenance Asset Group LLC in 2017 is followed by the transfer to RPX Corporation in 2021.
Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear.
- Without external litigation data for this specific patent, it is unclear if any assignment occurred within six months of the first infringement suit.
Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present.
- Nokia Corporation is an active operating company. There is no indication of bankruptcy proceedings for Nokia or any subsequent assignees leading to a fire-sale.
Privateering — Unclear.
- Provenance Asset Group LLC's stated business model involves providing exclusive licenses to operating companies to assert patents against named competitors. This could be a form of privateering where Nokia (the original operating company) transferred patents to Provenance to have them asserted on their behalf. However, explicit evidence directly linking the assertions back to Nokia as the instigator is not provided in the assignment records or available search results.
Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Present.
- RPX CORPORATION (Assignee on 2021-12-28 / 051184/0130). RPX is a well-known defensive patent aggregator, acquiring patents to protect its members from NPE litigation. The patent is currently held by RPX Corporation, indicating that it has been acquired for defensive purposes.
Verdict
Defensive / non-asserting
The patent was ultimately assigned to RPX Corporation on 2021-12-28 (Reel 051184/0130), which is a well-known defensive patent aggregator. RPX's business model is to acquire patents to mitigate litigation risk for its member companies, and they explicitly state that they do not litigate or assert the patent assets they purchase. This indicates that the patent has been neutralized for assertion purposes by an NPE.
For verification, see the USPTO Assignment Center: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:46:17 AM
Prior art
Earlier patents, publications, and products that may anticipate or render the claims unpatentable.
To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 9462410, I will search the USPTO database for the patent and then analyze its cited references. Anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 means that a single prior art reference discloses every element of a claimed invention, either expressly or inherently.
Based on the provided patent text for US9462410, here are the prior art references cited within the patent, along with their details:
Non-Patent Literature:
Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0, Specification Volume 3—Core System Package [Host volume] Part C, Section 11 (publication date 30 Jun. 2010)
- Description: This specification describes the detailed structure of advertising messages applied in the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, including the significant and non-significant parts, and the sequence of advertising data (AD) structures (L, data octets, AD type field, AD data octets). It also defines AD type definitions, as further referenced in Section 11.1.
- Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference likely anticipates aspects of claims related to the format and content of advertising messages in a BLE context, particularly those defining the preliminary service description. For example, any claim broadly covering the structure of advertising messages or the use of AD structures for service information might be anticipated. Given its fundamental nature to BLE advertising, it could potentially anticipate elements found in various claims, especially those that touch upon the initial broadcasting of service information (e.g., claims 1, 6, 11, 16 regarding "broadcasting...one or more advertising messages comprising a preliminary service description").
Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0, Specification Volume 3—Core System Package [Host volume] Part G (publication date 30 Jun. 2010)
- Description: This specification provides a description of the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT) protocol.
- Potential Anticipated Claims: This reference is relevant to claims that refer to the use of GATT service UUIDs for service data identifiers and the use of GATT protocol for requests for further information. Therefore, claims that detail the use of GATT for requesting or providing complementary service descriptions (e.g., claims related to "sending...a request for the complementary service description to the first wireless communication apparatus" or "providing supplementary information for obtaining complementary service description" where GATT is implied) could be anticipated.
URL:
https://www.bluetooth.org/en-us/specification/assigned-numbers/generic-access-profile(as of the date of filing of the present patent application)- Description: This URL refers to a listing of Bluetooth advertising AD type values.
- Potential Anticipated Claims: Similar to the Bluetooth Specification Part C, this reference would be relevant to claims concerning the specific types of data fields within advertising messages, especially those that rely on standardized AD types. Claims that specify the content or structure of the preliminary service description using such AD types (e.g., elements within claims 1, 6, 11, 16 that define the nature of information in the preliminary service description) could be implicated.
It's important to note that a definitive determination of anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would require a detailed claim construction and a thorough element-by-element comparison of each claim against the disclosure of these prior art references.
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:46:22 AM
Obviousness
Combinations of prior art that suggest the claimed invention would have been obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103.
Obviousness Analysis of US Patent 9462410 Under 35 U.S.C. § 103
This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render the claims of US patent 9462410 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) at the time of the invention (priority date January 8, 2014).
Core Invention of US9462410
US patent 9462410, titled "Providing service description," describes a two-phase method for a beacon device (first device 110) to provide a service description to a user terminal (second device 130) regarding a service accessible at a remote server (server 150). The primary problem addressed is the limited data capacity of short-range wireless advertising messages, such as those used in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). [Description]
The two phases are:
- Preliminary Service Description: The first device broadcasts concise "preliminary service description" via advertising messages. This description is sufficient to cause an indication on the user interface of the second device, allowing the user to decide whether to request more information. [Claim 1]
- Complementary Service Description: Upon a user-initiated request from the second device, the first device establishes a wireless short-range point-to-point connection. Over this connection, "supplementary information" is transmitted. This supplementary information either directly contains the "complementary service description" or provides information (e.g., a URL) to obtain it, thereby supplementing the preliminary description. [Claim 1]
The patent emphasizes that the first device merely provides the service description and not the service itself, which resides on a remote server apparatus. [Description]
Identified Prior Art References
The patent itself cites the following as background and for detailed protocol descriptions, establishing them as prior art:
- Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0, Specification Volume 3—Core System Package [Host volume] Part C, Section 11 (publication date June 30, 2010) (hereinafter "Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part C"). This document describes the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, including the structure and limitations of advertising messages, connection initiation, and roles of advertiser/scanner/initiator. [Description]
- Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0, Specification Volume 3—Core System Package [Host volume] Part G (publication date June 30, 2010) (hereinafter "Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part G"). This document describes the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT), which provides a framework for structured data exchange and service discovery over established BLE point-to-point connections. [Description]
In addition to these specific technical specifications, "common general knowledge" in the art at the priority date (2014) includes:
- The widespread use and understanding of Uniform Resource Locators (URLs) and Uniform Resource Indicators (URIs) for identifying and accessing resources, such as web pages, applications, or services, on remote servers over networks like the Internet. [Description]
- The concept of beacons or small, low-power devices broadcasting limited information to nearby mobile devices for various purposes (e.g., location data, sensory data). [Description]
Obviousness Argument for Claims 1, 9, 10, and 11
The independent claims (Claim 1: apparatus, Claim 9: arrangement, Claim 10: beacon method, Claim 11: user terminal method) all encapsulate the two-phase service description process. These claims would have been obvious in light of a combination of the Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0 (Parts C and G) and the common general knowledge of URLs/URIs and network services.
Elements Disclosed by Prior Art:
- Broadcasting advertising messages with limited data (Preliminary Service Description): Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part C explicitly details BLE advertising, where devices broadcast messages on advertising channels with a limited user data payload (e.g., up to 31 octets). [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11] These messages can include "Advertising Data (AD) structures" such as service UUIDs or local names, which naturally serve as a "preliminary service description" to indicate basic information about an available service. [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11.1]
- Causing service indication on a user interface: It is inherent in the design of BLE-enabled scanning devices (e.g., smartphones) that they would process received advertising data and display relevant information (like device names or service types) on their user interface, enabling user interaction.
- Receiving a user-initiated request for more information (Complementary Service Description): Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part C describes "connectable advertising" where a scanning device (initiator) can respond to an advertisement by sending a CONNECT_REQ to establish a connection. [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11.1.2] A user deciding to "select" an advertised service to get more details is a natural interaction with such a system.
- Establishing a wireless short-range point-to-point connection: This is a core function of BLE. When an advertising device accepts a CONNECT_REQ, a point-to-point connection is established, with the initiator becoming the master and the advertiser the slave. [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11.1.2]
- Providing and transmitting supplementary information via the point-to-point connection: Once a BLE connection is established, Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part G details the Generic Attribute Profile (GATT), which enables structured and more extensive data exchange. Services and their characteristics (containing data) can be discovered and read over this connection. [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part G] This mechanism is perfectly suited for providing "supplementary information," including a "complementary service description."
- Service accessible at a remote server apparatus: While BLE itself primarily deals with device-to-device communication, the concept of a "service" residing on a remote server and being accessed via a network (e.g., Internet, WLAN) was well-established. [Description]
Motivation to Combine:
A PHOSITA in the field of wireless communication in 2014, aware of the constraints of BLE advertising (limited message size, as noted in the patent's background [Description]), would have been motivated to devise a system for providing comprehensive service descriptions for remote services. The challenge was how to effectively advertise a service whose full details (including how to access it) exceeded the capacity of a single BLE advertising message.
The obvious solution would be to implement a two-phase approach, leveraging the distinct capabilities of BLE's advertising and connected modes:
- To overcome the advertising message size limitation, a PHOSITA would naturally use the limited advertising space for a brief, indicative "preliminary service description" (e.g., a service category UUID or a short name, as defined by Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part C [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11.1]). This maximizes the reach of the low-power broadcast for initial discovery.
- To provide the full details for a remote service, upon user interest (manifested by a request to connect), the PHOSITA would then establish a standard BLE point-to-point connection (Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part C [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part C, Section 11.1.2]). Over this connection, the more extensive data transfer capabilities offered by GATT (Bluetooth Spec 4.0 Part G [cite: Bluetooth Specification v4.0, Vol 3, Part G]) would be used to provide the "complementary service description."
- Crucially, if the actual service resides on a remote server, the logical content of this "complementary service description" would include a URL or URI (common general knowledge) to enable the user's device to access that remote service. This is the conventional and most efficient way to link to network resources.
This combination of existing technologies (BLE advertising, BLE connection, GATT, and URLs) would be readily apparent to a PHOSITA seeking to improve the utility of BLE beacons for advertising remote services. The outcome of such a combination—efficient initial discovery followed by detailed access information—would be entirely predictable. The patent's solution directly maps to combining these well-known elements to solve a recognized problem in a predictable manner.
Therefore, Claims 1, 9, 10, and 11, which describe this two-phase method for providing service descriptions using short-range wireless communication to link to a remote service, would have been obvious in light of the Bluetooth Specification Version 4.0 in combination with common general knowledge of network resource identification and access via URLs/URIs.
Generated 5/22/2026, 12:46:37 AM
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This patent in court (1)
1 tracked lawsuit name US 9462410.