Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114 was filed in this application after a decision by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, but before the filing of a Notice of Appeal to the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit or the commencement of a civil action. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114 and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the appeal has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114 and prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 04/06/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDS filed on April 6, 2026 has been considered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed April 6, 2026 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claim(s) 1, 7, 11, 17, 22-23 and 25-26 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Seok et al. (2012/0014336) in view of Liu et al. (US 2011/0038332), and further in view of Park et al. (US 2014/0204891), and further in view of Dahlby et al. (USPN 7027415).
Regarding claim 1, Seok discloses a station (STA) (Seok, Fig. 2, STA; paragraph [0001], station) comprising:
a transceiver; and a processor, wherein the transceiver and the processor are configured (Seok, Fig. 2, STA; paragraph [0001], STA for wireless communication includes a processor and a transceiver) to:
receive, from an access point (AP) (Seok, Fig. 2, AP; paragraph [0031], AP which are STAs), a control frame that includes a bandwidth field indicating a bandwidth for uplink physical layer convergence procedure (PLCP) protocol data unit (PPDU) transmission (Seok, Fig. 6; paragraph [0046], RTS frame and CTS frame may include a list of subchannels to be used; paragraph [0072], PLCP frame format; paragraph [0074], STA1 and STA2 transmit L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF, VHT-SIG using subchannels; paragraph [0075], VHT-SIGs include a training bandwidth value) and a plurality of user information fields corresponding to a plurality of STAs including the first STA, wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating resource assigned to the first STA (Seok, Figs. 5, 6; paragraph [0046], RTS frame and CTS frame may include a list of subchannels to be used; paragraph [0074], STA1 and STA2 transmit L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF, VHT-SIG using subchannels), wherein the resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink PPDU transmission (Seok, Fig. 6; paragraph [0046], RTS frame and CTS frame may include a list of subchannels to be used for the transmission of subsequent data; paragraph [0074], STA1 and STA2 transmit L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF, VHT-SIG using subchannels); and
transmit, to the access point (AP), a first orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) uplink frame according to a PPDU format, wherein the first uplink OFDMA frame includes a first part of a preamble (Seok, Figs. 4, 5, PLCP Preamble; paragraph [0003], OFDM; paragraph [0031], AP which are STAs; paragraph [0044], STA transmits PLCP preamble) that is transmitted on a full bandwidth of the bandwidth for uplink PPDU transmission (Seok, Figs. 4, 5, PLCP Preamble; paragraph [0044], STA transmits PLCP preamble; Fig. 6; paragraph [0076], STA1 and STA2 transmit VHT-STFs and VHT-LTFs 640, 645, 650, 655 using an entire bonding channel instead of a subchannel) and a second part of the preamble that is transmitted on the resource, wherein one part of the preamble precedes another part of the preamble (Seok, Figs. 5, PLCP Preamble; paragraph [0044], STA transmits PLCP preamble through subchannels; paragraph [0046], RTS frame and CTS frame may include a list of subchannels to be used; Fig. 6; paragraph [0074], STA1 and STA2 transmit L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF, VHT-SIG using subchannels).
Seok does not explicitly disclose that first part of the preamble precedes the second part of the preamble, and that wherein the OFDMA control frame further includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field indicating an MCS assigned to the STA, and that wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating at least one random access resource assigned to the first STA, wherein the at least one random access resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink transmission, and transmitting a preamble on the random access resource.
Lui discloses that first part of the preamble is precedes the second part of the preamble (Lui, Figs 7A, 7B, 8A-K, 9A-E, 10; L-LTF and L-SIG transmitted using spatial resources preceding VHT-SIG and VHT-TFs and Data transmitted using subset of spatial resources).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to transmit the L-LTF and L-SIG using full resources preceding VHT-SIG and VHT-TFs and Data transmitted using less resources, in the invention of Seok. The motivation to combine the references would have been for legacy station to use the full resources for improved channel estimation and reception.
The combination of Seok and Lui does not explicitly disclose wherein the OFDMA control frame further includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field indicating an MCS assigned to the STA, and that wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating at least one random access resource assigned to the first STA, wherein the at least one random access resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink transmission, and transmitting a preamble on the random access resource.
Park discloses wherein the OFDMA control frame further includes a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) field indicating an MCS assigned to the STA (Park, paragraph [0081], OFDM; paragraph [0098], MCS information and AID).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to use the MCS information fields of Park, in the invention of Seok. The motivation to combine the references would have been to inform the stations of the MCS control information.
The combination of Seok, Lui, and Park, does not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating at least one random access resource assigned to the first STA, wherein the at least one random access resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink transmission, and transmitting a preamble on the random access resource.
Dahlby discloses receive, from an access point (AP), a control frame that includes wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating at least one random access resource assigned to the first STA, wherein the at least one random access resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink transmission (Dahlby, Fig. 1, BCH 304 and configuration message 326; column 1, lines 60-62, dynamically allocates communication streams to provide flexible bandwidth to terminals; column 6, lines 17-30, terminal receives a Configuration Message (CM), CM contains basic configuration parameters; columns 9-10, Table 5, identity, carrierMask, racarrierMask, raslotMask, raDec, hopping; column 10, lines 25-27, racarrierMask: bitmap of carriers containing random access channels; column 10, lines 37-42, terminal has information that includes an assigned random access channel or set of assigned random access channels); and
transmit, to the access point (AP), a RA-RTS that is transmitted on the at least one random access resource (Dahlby, Fig. 1; column 7, lines 23-36, based on the CM, the user terminal transmits an RA-rreq, RA-rts and base station sends an AA reg-ack and AA-cts; column 12, user terminal transmits and random access message on the uplink side of the random access channel and the base station uses the downlink portion of the random access channel to assign resources).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to receive, from an access point (AP), a control frame that includes wherein the plurality of user information fields includes a first allocation field indicating at least one random access resource assigned to the first STA, wherein the at least one random access resource has a bandwidth that is a portion of the bandwidth for uplink transmission, and to transmit, to the access point (AP), a RA-RTS that is transmitted on the at least one random access resource, in which the preamble is transmitted on the same channel as the RTS as in in the invention of Seok in view of Lui, and further in view of Park. The motivation to combine the references would have been to dynamically allocate streams to optimize capacity.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Seok, Park, Lui, and Dahlby, particularly Seok discloses the first STA of claim 1, wherein the full bandwidth of the bandwidth for uplink PPDU transmission is one of 20 MHz, 40 MHz or 80 MHz (Seok, Fig. 6; paragraph [0074], STA1 and STA2 transmit L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF, VHT-SIG using subchannels).
Claim 11 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 1.
Claim 17 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 7.
Regarding claim 22, the combination of Seok, Park, Lui, and Dahlby, particularly Seok discloses the first STA of claim 1, wherein the first part of the preamble includes a legacy short training field, a legacy long training field, and a legacy signal field that are backwards compatible with legacy devices (Seok, Figs. 4, PLCP Preamble; paragraph [0044], STA transmits PLCP preamble; paragraph [0068], legacy STA can transmit using an entire bonding channel; paragraph [0073], L-SIG, L-STF, L-LTF).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Seok, Park, Lui, and Dahlby, particularly Seok discloses the first STA of claim 1, wherein the second part of the preamble includes a short training field (STF), and a plurality of long training field (LTF) (Seok, Figs. 5, PLCP Preamble; paragraph [0044], STA transmits PLCP preamble through subchannels; paragraph [0073], VHT-SIG, VHT-STF, VHT-LTF).
Claim 25 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 22.
Claim 26 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 23.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhang et al. (US 20120324315) discloses for higher bandwidth normal mode data units, the STF, LTFs, and SIG fields are duplicated in each of multiple sub-bands, each sub-band having a bandwidth equal to the lowest normal mode channel bandwidth. For example, where data unit 500 is the minimum-bandwidth normal mode data unit and has a 2 MHz bandwidth, data unit 520 duplicates the STF 522, LTFs 524, 530, and SIG fields 526 in each 2 MHz band as a preamble to the data portion 532, and the data portion 532 occupies the full (4 MHz) bandwidth without frequency duplication. A receiver detecting normal mode data unit 500 or 520 is able to determine the bandwidth of the data unit based on bandwidth information in SIG fields 506 and/or SIG fields 526, in an embodiment.
Damnjanovic et al. (US 20100309877) discloses that time-frequency resources available for the uplink may be allocated for different types of transmission such as traffic data, signaling/control information, etc. In one design, one or more Random Access Channel (RACH) slots may be defined in each radio frame and may be used by the UEs for system access. In general, any number of RACH slots may be defined. Each RACH slot may have any time-frequency dimension and may be located anywhere within a radio frame. In one design that is shown in FIG. 2, a RACH slot spans one subframe and covers a predetermined bandwidth of 1.25 MHz. The RACH slot location (e.g., the specific subframe and portion of the system bandwidth used for the RACH slot) may be conveyed in system information that is broadcast on a Broadcast Channel (BCH) by each cell.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALAN LOUIS LINDENBAUM whose telephone number is (571)270-3858. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Un Cho can be reached on (571) 272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ALAN L LINDENBAUM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/OUSSAMA ROUDANI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
Prosecution Insights