DETAILED ACTION
RCE
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10/13/2025 has been entered.
IDS
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/13/2025 was filed with the RCE. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Remark
This communication is considered fully responsive to the RCE and the IDS filed on 10/13/2025.
a. The notice of allowance filed on 07/29/2025 has been withdrawn after reviewing the filed IDS and further extended search.
b. The previous 103 rejection over Baek in view of Patil in the Final Office action filed on 02/13/2025 has been replaced with a new 103 rejection over Baek in view of Huang for the added claim limitation in the amendment filed on 04/25/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-5, 10-12, 14-22, 25-28, and 31-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US 2024/0244656, “Baek”) in view of Huang (US 2024/0090033, “Huang”).
Regarding claim 1, Baek discloses a first station configured for wireless communication, the first station comprising: a memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions (See Fig.1, processor(s) and memory(s)) and cause the first station to:
- transmit a first element that indicates one or more target wakeup time (TWT) parameter sets (See S2610 fig.26 and ¶.294, transmit r-TWT related information to at least one first STA; See fig.17, TWT element format; See 18-19, individual TWT parameter sets and broadcast TWT parameter set); and
- transmit a second element that provides information associated with at least one of the one or more TWT parameter sets indicated in the first element, wherein the second element comprises: an element identifier (ID) field; a length field; an element ID extension field; a control field; and a TWT information field that indicates the information associated with the at least one TWT parameter set (See S2620 fig.26 and ¶.297, an AP may transmit information related to a modified/extended end time of a r-TWT SP to at least one second STA after a r-TWT SP start time; See Fig.17 below:
PNG
media_image1.png
312
759
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Examiner’s Note: Huang discloses the limitation “an element ID extension field”).
Baek discloses TWT element format comprising the fields of element ID, length, control, and TWT parameter Information as shown Fig.17 and individual TWT parameter set field (Fig.18) and broadcast TWT parameter set field (Fig.19) as subfield/extended TWT parameter set field (Examiner’s Note: applicant’s Fig.7C shows ‘Extended Individual/Broadcast TWT parameter set field’ which is similar to Fig.18-19 of Baek), but Baek does not explicitly disclose the limitation “an element ID extension field” and “the information including one or more different TWT parameter than the one or more TWT parameter sets.”
However, Huang discloses “Element ID Extension” (Huang, See Fig.1D) and “the information including one or more different TWT parameter than the one or more TWT parameter sets” (Huang, See Fig.8A, ‘extended TWT Parameter Set’) below:
PNG
media_image2.png
145
604
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
144
428
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply “an element ID extension field and the information including one or more different TWT parameter than the one or more TWT parameter sets” as taught by Huang into the system of Baek, so that it provides a way of including information of the corresponding extended parameters to meet required satisfaction in the network (Huang, See ¶.121-124).
Regarding claim 2, Baek discloses “the first station is affiliated with a multi-link device (MLD) (See fig.20-24 for the first station, i.e. AP is associated with STA 1 and STA 2).”
Regarding claim 3, Baek discloses “the first station comprises an access point (AP) (See fig.20-24 for the first station, i.e. AP is associated with STA 1 and STA 2).”
Regarding claim 4, Baek discloses “the information indicates a time granularity for a TWT schedule finer than a time granularity that can be indicated in the first element (See fig.21-24, original staring time, postponed starting time, and extended ending time; See ¶.212, a TWT scheduled STA and a TWT scheduling AP; See ¶.276, accordingly, in order to guarantee/protect transmission or reception of scheduled data/traffic (e.g., latency sensitive data/traffic) during an extended time interval, a new method is required in which modified r-TWT SP-related information is signaled (or announced) by an AP to STAs associated with a corresponding AP).”
Regarding claim 5, Baek discloses “wherein the information indicates at least one of: signal bandwidth greater than a maximum signal bandwidth that can be indicated in the first element; bandwidth allocated to one or more different stations; a spatial multiplexing mode; a number of spatial streams; or one or more links to which the information applies to (See ¶.336, channel sensing (CS) is required, an UL BW (bandwidth), etc. Each user information field may include a subfield such as AID12, RU allocation, an UL forward error correction (FEC) coding type, UL EHT-MCS, spatial stream (SS) allocation/random access (RA)-RU information, UL target reception power, PS160, trigger dependent user information, etc., and may also include a reserved subfield).”
Regarding claim 10, Baek discloses “wherein the information indicates TWT parameters for at least one of: an individual TWT mechanism, a broadcast TWT mechanism, or an off-channel TWT mechanism (See ¶.241, TWT mechanism; See fig.15, broadcast TWT operation; See ¶.8, restricted TWT (r-TWT)).”
Regarding claim 11, Baek discloses “the information indicates TWT parameters for multiple TWT SPs (See ¶.225, contiguous TWT SPs; See ¶.240 individual TWT SPs; See ¶.258, supports r-TWT SPs) and the second element includes a TWT identifier (TWT ID) for each of the multiple TWT SPs (See fig.19 and ¶.231, TWT ID).”
Regarding claim 12, Baek discloses “the second element includes at least one TWT identifier (TWT ID) that matches a TWT ID in the first element and links the information to a TWT parameter set conveyed in the first element (See ¶.231, a 5-bit broadcast TWT ID. A broadcast TWT identifier subfield represents a broadcast ID of a specific broadcast TWT that a STA requests participation or provides a TWT parameter according to a value of a TWT setup command subfield of a TWT element; See ¶.326, after an original r-TWT SP starts, an AP may transmit to STA(s) an unsolicited TWT setup action frame including the same identification information (e.g., a broadcast TWT ID) which identifies a corresponding r-TWT SP. Additionally or alternatively, after an original r-TWT SP starts, an AP may transmit to STA(s) a TWT setup action frame that a TWT setup command (or a combination of a TWT setup command and at least one other subfield) has a specific value. Accordingly, STA(s) may recognize that a r-TWT SP is modified/extended. Specifically, STA(s) may implicitly recognize extension of a r-TWT SP based on receiving a frame including a broadcast TWT ID and/or a TWT setup command receiving a frame having a specific value in a r-TWT SP. In this case, a modified/extended r-TWT SP end time may be obtained based on a value of a target wake time subfield in a TWT parameter set field; See further ¶.327, ¶.329 for TWT ID).”
Regarding claim 14, Baek discloses “wherein the second element is transmitted in a broadcast frame (See fig.19, broadcast TWT parameter set field format; See ¶.231, detailed of the broadcast TWT subfields).”
Regarding claim 15, Baek discloses “wherein the second element comprises an extended TWT parameter field that includes an extended TWT control field (See ¶.107, for details of the Sequence Control, QoS Control, and HT Control subfields of the MAC header, refer to the IEEE 802.11 standard document; See ¶.339, information related to r-TWT SP modification/extension may be included in a form of a A-control field of a MAC header. For example, a HT control subfield of a MAC header may include a (aggregated)-control subfield. An A-control subfield may include a control list bit of a variable length and a padding bit equal to or greater than 0. A control list may include at least one control subfield. One control subfield may include a 4-bit control ID and control information of a variable length. For example, one of reserved values of a control ID (e.g., 7 to 14) may be newly defined as a value meaning r-TWT SP extension. Specific information such as an end time of a modified/extended r-TWT SP, etc. may be included in control information of an A-control subfield having a control ID configured as such a specific value).”
Regarding claim 16, Baek discloses “wherein the extended TWT control field includes at least one of: a length field to indicate a length of subsequent fields in the extended TWT parameter field; or a bitmap to indicate fields that are included in the extended TWT parameter field (See ¶.339, information related to r-TWT SP extension may be included in a form of a A-control field of a MAC header. For example, a HT control subfield of a MAC header may include a A (aggregated)-control subfield. An A-control subfield may include a control list bit of a variable length and a padding bit equal to or greater than 0. A control list may include at least one control subfield. One control subfield may include a 4-bit control ID and control information of a variable length. For example, one of reserved values of a control ID (e.g., 7 to 14) may be newly defined as a value meaning r-TWT SP extension. Specific information such as an end time of a modified/extended r-TWT SP, etc. may be included in control information of an A-control subfield having a control ID configured as such a specific value; See ¶.229, A TWT channel subfield represents a bitmap representing an allowed channel. When transmitted by a TWT requesting STA, a TWT channel subfield may include a bitmap representing a channel which is requested by a STA to be used as a temporary basic channel during a TWT SP. When transmitted by a TWT response STA, a TWT channel subfield may include a bitmap representing a channel that a TWT request is allowed).”
Regarding claim 17, Baek discloses “the extended TWT control field includes a mode field to indicate at least one of: one or more TWT mechanisms to which parameters indicated in the extended TWT parameter field apply; or one or more modes of extensions for at least one of the one or more TWT mechanisms (See ¶.191, a setup step may include a TWT request for an AP of a STA, a type of a TWT operation performed and a process of determining/defining a frame type transmitted or received. A TWT operation may be divided into an individual TWT and a broadcast TWT; See ¶.193, an individual TWT is a mechanism that an AP and non-AP STA perform data exchange after performing negotiation for an awake/doze status of a non-AP STA through transmission or reception of a TWT request/response frame. In an example of FIG. 14, an AP and STA1 may form a trigger-enabled TWT agreement through a TWT request frame and a TWT response frame. Here, a method used by STA1 is a solicited TWT method, which is a method that when STA1 transmits a TWT request frame to an AP, STA1 receives information for a TWT operation from an AP through a TWT response frame. On the other hand, STA2 which performs an unsolicited TWT method may receive information on a trigger-enabled TWT agreement configuration from an AP through an unsolicited TWT response. Specifically, STA2 may calculate a next TWT by adding a specific number from a current TWT value. During a trigger-enabled TWT SP, an AP may transmit a trigger frame to STAs. The trigger frame may inform STAs that an AP has buffered data. In response to it, STA1 may inform an AP of its awake status by transmitting a PS-Poll frame. In addition, STA2 may inform an AP of its awake status by transmitting a QoS Null frame. Here, a data frame transmitted by STA1 and STA2 may be a frame in a TB PPDU form. An AP which confirmed a status of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a DL MU PPDU to awake STAs. When a corresponding TWT SP expires, STA1 and STA2 may switch to a doze status; ¶.241, A TWT protection subfield may represent whether to use a TWT protection mechanism. When that value is 1, a TXOP in a TWT SP may be started with a NAV protection mechanism such as a (MU)RTS/CTS or a CTS-to-self frame and when that value is 0, a NAV protection mechanism may not be applied; See ¶.253, a STA (e.g., a low latency STA) which supports a restricted SP (or r-TWT SP) operation of a broadcast TWT may inform an AP that latency sensitive data should be transmitted based on a r-TWT operation. If an AP supports a r-TWT operation/mode, an AP may transmit a frame including scheduling information of TWTs requested by each STA to a low latency STA and other STA(s); See ¶.275, STAs associated with an AP may include STAs having a different capability for supporting an individual, broadcast or restricted TWT operation/mechanism. For example, STAs may include a STA which does not support a TWT operation (e.g., a TWT operation itself including an individual, broadcast and restricted TWT), a STA which does not support a r-TWT operation (e.g., a STA which supports an individual/broadcast TWT operation, but does not support a r-TWT operation) and a STA which supports a r-TWT operation (e.g., a STA which supports all of an individual, broadcast and restricted TWT operation). These various STAs may attempt channel access through EDCA after a TWT SP ends. For example, a STA which supports a r-TWT may know information on a r-TWT SP through a beacon, etc., and accordingly, it may attempt channel access through EDCA after an end time of an original r-TWT SP. In addition, a STA which does not support a r-TWT may be also configured not to attempt channel access during an original r-TWT SP duration through a quiet interval, etc).”
Regarding claim 18, it is a second station claim corresponding to the first station claim 1, except the limitation “communicate in a TWT service period (SP) in accordance with the information provided in the second element (Baek, See S2630 fig.26, perform frame exchange with at least one first STA based on modified/extended end time r-TWT SP; Examiner’s Note: Fig.25 of Baek discloses the method of receiving a first element and a second element from AP)” and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claim 19, it is a claim corresponding to the claim 2 and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claim 20, Baek discloses “the second station comprises an non access point (AP) station (See ¶.191, non-AP).”
Regarding claim 21, Baek and Huang disclose a first station configured for wireless communication, comprising: a memory comprising processor-executable instructions; and one or more processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the first station to: transmit a first element that indicates at least a first target wakeup time (TWT) parameter set (Baek, See S2610 Fig.26); wherein the first element includes information associated with an extension of the first TWT parameter set (See S2620 Fig.26), the extension including different content than included in the first TWT parameter set (Huang, Fig.1D and Fig.8A); and communicate based at least in part on the first TWT parameter set and the extension (See S2630 Fig.26). Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 22, Baek discloses “wherein the information includes a TWT identifier (TWT ID) that links the extension to the first TWT parameter set (See fig.19, broadcast TWT ID).”
Regarding claims 25 and 26, they are claims corresponding to claims 2 & 3, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Regarding claim 27, it is a second station claim corresponding to the first station claim 21 and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claim 28, it is a claim corresponding to the claim 22 and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Regarding claim 31, Baek and Huang discloses “at least one of: the length field indicates a length of the second element (Baek, See fig.17, length field; the control field indicates presence of the TWT information field and includes one or more reserved bits (Baek, See fig.17, control field’s extension includes reserved bits); and the information associated with the at least one TWT parameter set comprises an extension of the at least one TWT parameter set including the different TWT parameter set (Baek, See fig.18-19, individual/Broadcast TWT parameter set(s); Huang, See Fig.8A, Extended TWT Parameter Set).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 1.
Regarding claim 32, Baek discloses “the information indicates restricted TWT parameters (See ¶.8, receiving restricted TWT related information; See further ¶.11, fig.20, fig.23, fig.4, and ¶.250).”
Regarding claims 33 and 34, they are claims corresponding to claims 31 & 32, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Regarding claim 35, Baek and Huang disclose “the first element comprises: an element identifier (ID) field; a length field; an element ID extension field; a control field; and a TWT information field that indicates the information associated with the extension of the first TWT parameter set (See rection of claim 1).”
Regarding claims 36 and 37, they are claims corresponding to claims 31 & 32, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Regarding claims 38-40, they are claims corresponding to claims 35-37, respectively and are therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claims.
Claims 6-8, 41, and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Huang and further in view of Li et al. (US 2020/0137612, “Li”).
Regarding claim 6, Baek and Huang do not explicitly disclose what Li discloses “the first station to receive an indication that a second station supports the second element and the information, wherein the second element is transmitted based on the indication (Li, See ¶.59 and ¶.76, one or more bits can be added in a high efficiency (HE) capability information element communicated from STA 120a to AP 110 to indicate STA 120a's capability to support flexible service period extension).”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the method of “the first station to receive an indication that a second station supports the second element and the information, wherein the second element is transmitted based on the indication” as taught by Li into the system of Baek, so that it provides a way for secondary AP to have capability to support flexible service period extension (Li, See ¶.59).”
Regarding claim 7, Baek does not explicitly disclose what Li discloses “the indication is received in one or more bits of a capabilities element (Li, See ¶.59 and ¶.76, one or more bits can be added in a high efficiency (HE) capability information element communicated from STA 120a to AP 110 to indicate STA 120a's capability to support flexible service period extension).” Therefore, this claim is rejected with the similar reasons and motivation set forth in the rejection of claim 6.
Regarding claim 8, Baek discloses “the information provided in the second element indicates TWT parameters for use by the second station in a TWT service period (SP) (See S2620 fig.26, modified and/or extended end time of TWT SP); and the first element indicates TWT parameters for use by one or more other stations that share the TWT SP with the second station (See S2610 fig.26 and ¶.8, after a start time of the r-TWT SP based on the TWT related information; See ¶.253, in order to perform an operation for a r-TWT, non-AP STAs may acquire r-TWT-related information from an AP through a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a (re)association response frame or other frames in a non-defined format (e.g., a frame for broadcast, advertisement and announcement); See ¶.255, STA1 may correspond to a low latency STA and STA2 may correspond to a STA which transmits or receives regular data. An AP may inform STAs of r-TWT-related information through a frame such as a beacon, etc. In this case, according to a TXOP rule for a r-TWT SP, STA2, a TXOP holder, should terminate a corresponding TXOP before a start time of any r-TWT SP advertised by an associated AP).”
Regarding claim 41, Baek and Huang do not explicitly disclose what Li discloses “the first element comprises a first TWT ID associated with the one or more TWT parameter sets; and the second element comprises a second TWT ID matching the first TWT ID (Li, See 536 Fig.5C, ‘TWT flow identifier’; See ¶.47, a specific TWT element can include the parameters associated with the specific TWT schedule (e.g., a TWT start time, the number of service period(s), duration(s) associated with the service period(s), repetition interval(s), and the like) and the IF can include the traffic direction information. An identifier in the IE associates the IE with the specific TWT element (e.g., using TWT flow identifier (ID)).” Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to apply the method of “the first element comprises a first TWT ID associated with the one or more TWT parameter sets; and the second element comprises a second TWT ID matching the first TWT ID” as taught by Li into the system of Baek and Huang, so that it provides a way for a specific TWT element to be able to include the parameters associated with the specific TWT schedule (Li, See ¶.51).
Regarding claim 42, it is a claim corresponding to the claim 41 and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of the claim.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed have been considered. But, in view of the applicant’s amendment to the claims, examiner has clarified and totally remapped the rejection to the argued claim limitations, using the prior art of record in the current prosecution of the claims. The previous 103 rejection over Baek in view of Patil has been replaced with a new 103 rejection over Baek in view of Huang.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUNG H PARK whose telephone number is (571)272-8565. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 6:30 AM-3:00 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, Derrick Ferris can be reached on 571-272-3123. 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.
/JUNG H PARK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411