Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
REMARKS
1. On pages 8-11 of the remark Applicant argued prior art Kwon et al. fails to teach “wherein the link disable advertisement is configured to indicate a time duration of a time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs” as recited in the independent claims.
In response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Prior art Kwon at [0073]; discloses an upcoming disablement of a link, such as the link 112-1, is announced by the AP MLD 102 using an information element carried in a management frame. The information element carried in the management frame may include a temporal field indicating information on the remaining time to the disablement of the link. The AP MLD may repeatedly announce the upcoming disablement of the first link for a period of time. Here the period of time during which the first link would be disabled corresponding to a time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs. [0060] discloses a time during which the link is disabled for the non-AP MLD. [0069] discloses the non-AP MLD 104-1 records the beacon status counter value (C1) when the link 112-1 is disabled, and when the link is enabled again
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
2. Claims 1-5, 8-9, 12-13 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication US 2021/0212156 to Kwon et al. (hereinafter Kwon)
As to claims 1 and 18, Kwon discloses an apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to cause an Access Point (AP) Multi-Link Device (MLD) (Kwon; [0015]) to:
transmit from an AP of the AP MLD a broadcast frame comprising a link disable advertisement, the link disable advertisement to advertise a link disablement of the AP for all non-AP MLDs associated with the AP MLD, the link disablement of the AP to indicate that a link of the AP is to be disabled for communication for all the non-AP MLDs associated with the AP MLD, wherein the link disable advertisement is configured to indicate a time duration of a time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080] shows and discloses an AP (i.e AP 110-1) sends a management frame to al non-AP MLDs that indicates a link disablement information. [0073] also discloses an upcoming disablement of a link, such as the link 112-1, is announced by the AP MLD 102 using an information element carried in a management frame. The information element carried in the management frame may include a temporal field indicating information on the remaining time to the disablement of the link. The AP MLD may repeatedly announce the upcoming disablement of the first link for a period of time. Here the period of time during which the first link would be disabled corresponding to a time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs. [0060] discloses a time during which the link is disabled for the non-AP MLD. [0069] discloses the non-AP MLD 104-1 records the beacon status counter value (C1) when the link 112-1 is disabled, and when the link is enabled again); and
disable communication of beacon frames and response frames from the AP based on the link disable advertisement (Kwon; Fig.5; [0074]; [080]-[0081]; [0083]; [0008] shows and discloses a beacon frames and response frames becomes unavailable in link 1); and
a memory to store information processed by the processor (Kwon; [0090]-[0091]).
As to claims 2 and 19, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses configured to cause the AP MLD to transmit from another AP of the AP MLD the link disable advertisement to advertise the link disablement of the link of the AP (Kwon; [0064]; [0082]).
As to claim 3, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses configured to cause the AP MLD to transmit from all APs of the AP MLD the link disable advertisement to advertise the link disablement of the link of the AP (Kwon; [0064]; [0082])
As to claims 4 and 20, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses configured to cause the AP MLD to determine whether the link disablement of the AP is allowed based on a condition corresponding to the non-AP MLDs associated with the AP (Kwon; [0002] discloses disabling a communication link between an AP MLDs and a non-AP MLDs requires operations to be performed by the AP MLDs and the non-AP MLD corresponding to a condition).
As to claim 5, the rejection of claim 4 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses wherein the condition is configured to prohibit the link disablement of the AP based on a determination that a non-AP MLD has only one link with the AP MLD, and the only one link is between the non-AP MLD and the AP (Kwon; Fig.1; [0003] shows and discloses of link disablement in the multi-link communication between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs means link disablement is prohibited for a single link between AP-MLD AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs)
As to claim 8, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses wherein the link disable advertisement is to indicate to anon-AP MLD that the link of the AP is to be disabled for any Uplink (UL) or Downlink (DL) communication by the non-AP MLD (Kwon; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080] discloses link disablement between AP-MLDs and non-AP-MLDs means link is disable for downlink communication between AP and station or uplink communication between station and AP).
As to claim 9, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses wherein the link disable advertisement is to indicate to anon-AP MLD that the link of the AP is not to be used by the non-AP MLD (Kwon; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080])
As to claim 12, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses configured to cause the AP MLD to:
transmit from the AP a first broadcast frame comprising the link disable advertisement (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080];
disable communication of beacon frames and response frames from the AP based on the link disable advertisement in the first broadcast frame (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080]);
transmit from the AP a second broadcast frame comprising a link re-enable advertisement to advertise a link re-enablement of the AP, the second broadcast frame after the first broadcast frame (Kwon; Fig.3; [0002]; [0043]; [0061] shows and discloses of transmitting re-enablement frame corresponding to a second broadcast frame) and
re-enable communication of beacon frames and response frames from the AP based on the link re-enable advertisement in the second broadcast frame (Kwon; Fig.3; [0002]; [0008]; [0043]; [0061]; [0074] shows and discloses of re-enable a link and also discloses when a link is enabled, it is used to transmit and receive beacon frames and response frames)
As to claim 13, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses configured to cause the AP MLD to configure the link disable advertisement comprising a first field configured to indicate a time at which the time period is to begin, and a second field configured to indicate the time duration of the time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs. (Kwon; [0073] discloses an upcoming disablement of a link, such as the link 112-1, is announced by the AP MLD 102 using an information element carried in a management frame. The information element carried in the management frame may include a temporal field indicating information on the remaining time to the disablement of the link. The AP MLD may repeatedly announce the upcoming disablement of the first link for a period of time. Here the period of time during which the first link would be disabled corresponding to a time period for which the link of the AP is to be disabled for all the non-AP MLDs. [0060] discloses a time during which the link is disabled for the non-AP MLD. [0069] discloses the non-AP MLD 104-1 records the beacon status counter value (C1) when the link 112-1 is disabled, and when the link is enabled again)
As to claim 15, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses wherein the broadcast frame comprises a beacon frame (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080])
As to claim 16, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses comprising at least one radio to transmit the broadcast frame from the AP (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080]).
As to claim 17, the rejection of claim 16 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Kwon discloses comprising one or more antennas connected to the radio, and another processor to execute instructions of an operating system of the AP MLD (Kwon; Fig.1; Fig.4; [0002]; [0071]-[0073]; [0080])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
1. 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 correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
2. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, 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.
3. Claims 6-7 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Pre-Grant Publication US 2021/0212156 to Kwon et al. (hereinafter Kwon) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2022/0377839 to Jang et al. (hereinafter Jang)
As to claim 6, Kwon discloses link disablement between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs means other type of devices are prohibited for link disablement with AP-MLDs. Kwon fails to discloses of prohibiting link disablement for legacy devices. However, Jang discloses
wherein the condition is configured to prohibit the link disablement of the AP based on a determination that a legacy device, which is a non-MLD device, is associated with the AP (Jang; [0296]; [0302] discloses the legacy or single-link STA may also respond to link disablement by using channel switching from the disabling link to the enabled link (using an existing announcement frame or element) means prohibit the link disablement for the legacy device).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the legacy device can communicate the AP-MLD.
As to claim 7, Kwon discloses wherein the condition is configured to allow the disablement of the AP only based on a determination that:
there is no non-AP MLD having only one link with the AP MLD, and the only one link is between the non-AP MLD and the AP (Kwon; Fig.1; [0003] shows and discloses of link disablement in the multi-link communication between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs means link disablement is prohibited for a single link between AP-MLD AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs)
Kwon discloses link disablement between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs means other type of devices are prohibited for link disablement with AP-MLDs. Kwon fails to discloses of prohibiting link disablement for legacy devices. However, Jang discloses
there is no legacy device, which is a non-MLD device, associated with the AP (Jang; [0296]; [0302] discloses the legacy or single-link STA may also respond to link disablement by using channel switching from the disabling link to the enabled link (using an existing announcement frame or element) means prohibit the link disablement for the legacy device).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the legacy device can communicate the AP-MLD.
As to claim 10, Kwon discloses link disablement between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs. Kwon fails to discloses of sending TID-to-link. However, Jang discloses
wherein the link disable advertisement is to indicate to anon-AP MLD that the AP is not to be used by the non-AP MLD, even if the link of the AP is enabled per a Traffic Identifier (TID) to link (TID-to-link) mapping negotiation between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD (Jang; [0275]; [0286]; [0327]; [0354])
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the non-AP MLD devices can communicate the AP-MLD using TID-to-link
As to claim 11, Kwon discloses link disablement between AP-MLDs and non-AP MLDs. Kwon fails to discloses of sending TID-to-link. However, Jang discloses
wherein the link disable advertisement is to indicate to anon-AP MLD that a Traffic Identifier (TID) to link (TID-to-link) mapping is to identify that no TIDs are mapped to the link of the AP (Jang; [0275]; [0286]; [0327]; [0354])
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that the non-AP MLD devices can communicate the AP-MLD using TID-to-link
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14 is objected, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims
Conclusion
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/FAISAL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478