CTFR 17/568,489 CTFR 82499 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection. The amendment to the claims has changed the scope of all the claims. Jiang is relied upon to teach the amendments to the claims; Lee is no longer relied upon in the rejection of the claims. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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, 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 21-23, 25, 26, 28-32, 34, 35, 37-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20170257189 A1 herein Jiang in view of US 20190335454 A1 herein Huang . Claim 21, Jiang discloses a multi-link communication method (see figure 1) , comprising: receiving, on a first link by a second station, an association request frame sent by a first station (0034, association request data unit) , the first station being one of multiple stations comprised in a first multi-link device (see "21-1" to "21-3" in figure 1) , the second station being one of multiple stations comprised in a second multi-link device stations (see "21-1" to "21-3" in figure 1) , the multiple stations comprised in the second multi-link device work on multiple links (see in particular figure 1 and " ... the MAC processor 18 and the PHY processor 20 are configured to operate according to a first communication protocol (e.g., according to ... the IEEE 802.11 ay Standard, etc.) ... " in paragraph [0019], noting that IEEE 802.11 ay provides up to 8 streams) , the multiple links comprise the first link on which the second station works, the association request frame comprising a multi-link element (see e.g. the link originating from "21-1" and "24-1 ") ; sending an association response frame to the first station, wherein the association response frame comprises the response information of the first link and the second link (0042, the one or more per-TID Block Ack information fields 600 include a first set of per-TID Block Ack information fields 600, where each per-TID Block Ack information field 600 in the first set includes a block acknowledgement to acknowledge a set of multiple MPDUs, of a particular traffic class, included in the A-MPDU being acknowledged. The one or more per-TID Block Ack information fields 600 also include a second set of one or more per-TID Block Ack information fields 600, where each per-TID Block Ack information field 600 in the second set includes one or more single acknowledgements to acknowledge receipt of one or more single MPDUs included in the A-MPDU being acknowledged, in an embodiment; Fig. 6); the response information of the second link including a status code, the status code indicating whether the second link was successfully associated (0056, 0042, subfield in the acknowledgment frame containing an ACK, thus successful association indication is provided). Jiang may not explicitly disclose the association request frame comprising request information of the first link and the second link, and the request information of the second link is comprised in the multi-link element of the association request frame. Huang discloses the association request frame comprising request information of the first link and the second link, and the request information of the second link is comprised in the multi-link element of the association request frame (0140-0141). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jiang to include multi-link information as taught by Huang so as to make efficient use of resources (0003) . Claim 22, Jiang may not explicitly disclose wherein the request information of the second link comprised in the multi-link element comprises one or more of a link index of the second link, a BSSID which a station corresponding to the second link in the first multi-link device expects to be associated with, or an address of the first station corresponding to the second link in the first multi-link device. Huang discloses wherein the request information of the second link comprised in the multi-link element comprises one or more of a link index of the second link, a BSSID which a station corresponding to the second link in the first multi-link device expects to be associated with, or an address of the first station corresponding to the second link in the first multi-link device (0140). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jiang to include multi-link information as taught by Huang so as to make efficient use of resources (0003) . Claim 23, Claim 23 further limits an alternative of claim 22. Since Jiang in view of Huang teaches BSSID. Thus, all the limitations of claim 23 have been met. Claim 25, Jiang discloses wherein the request information of the second link comprises an information element corresponding to the second link, the information element corresponding to the second link comprises the second type information element, and the second type information element corresponding to the second link carries unique information corresponding to the second link (... each of the one or more MSDUs 256 included in the data unit 240 is an aggregate MSDU (A-MSDU) that aggregates multiple MSDUs. In such embodiments, the MAC header 254 of the A-MS DU is followed by multiple MSDUs ... " in paragraph [0029] and figure 2B, noting that the "MAC HEADER" obviously includes all the information related to the following MSDUs) . Clam 26, Jiang discloses wherein the request information of the first link comprises one or more of: an index of the first link, an address of the first station corresponding to the first link in the first multi-link device, or an identifier of a second station corresponding to the first link in the second multi-link device (0029, MAC addresses in the A-MPDU) . Claim 28, Jiang discloses wherein the response information of the second link includes one or more of: an index of the second link, an address of the station corresponding to the second link in the first multi-link device, or an identifier of the station corresponding to the second link in the second multi-link device (0029, 0034) . Claim 30, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 21. Jian discloses a multi-link communication apparatus applied to a second multi-link device, the apparatus comprising: a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor in communication with the memory (0108, processors; 0090, memories) . Claim 31, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 22. Claim 32, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 23. Claim 34, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 25. Claim 35, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 26. Claim 37, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 28. Claim 39, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 21. Claim 40, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 22 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 41-43 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Huang in view of US 20200351988 A1 herein Chen . Claim 41, Jiang in view of Huang may not explicitly disclose wherein the request information of the first link comprises an information element corresponding to the first link, and the information element corresponding to the first link comprises a first type information element and a second type information element, the first type information element carries common information corresponding to the first link and the information element corresponding to the second link, and the second type information element corresponding to the first link carries unique information corresponding to the first link. Chen discloses wherein the request information of the first link comprises an information element corresponding to the first link, and the information element corresponding to the first link comprises a first type information element and a second type information element, the first type information element carries common information corresponding to the first link and the information element corresponding to the second link, and the second type information element corresponding to the first link carries unique information corresponding to the first link (0028, common policy applied to all links and per link policy, applied to the multiple links individually) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Jiang to include common policy for all links and unique multiple link specific policy information as taught by Chen so as to dynamically adjust certain parameters of Multi-band Policy by simply updating the Multi-link Policy and advertising it to STAs (0019) . Claim 42, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 41. Claim 43, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 41 . 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20210160941 A1 - This disclosure provides methods, devices and systems for wireless communication, and particularly, methods, devices and systems for multi-link operation. In some aspects, a first WLAN device (such as a non-AP STA) may establish with a second WLAN device (such as an AP) a multi-link association by which the first WLAN device can simultaneously transmit information to the second WLAN device via a first wireless communication link and a second wireless communication link. The first WLAN device may coordinate contention for the first wireless communication link by a first WLAN interface of the first WLAN device to be concurrent with contention for the second wireless communication link by a second WLAN interface of the first WLAN device . Conclusion 07-40 AIA Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL . See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mehmood B. Khan whose telephone number is (571)272-9277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-6:30 pm. 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, Nishant Divecha can be reached on (571) 270-3125. 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. /Mehmood B. Khan/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 2 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 3 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 4 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 5 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 6 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 7 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 8 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 9 Art Unit: 2419 Application/Control Number: 17/568,489 Page 10 Art Unit: 2419
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