DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This office action is in response to remarks filed 08/07/2025.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 11 are pending and presented for examination. Claims 1 and 7 are amended.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 08/07/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cherian et al (US 20200076552 A1, hereinafter “Cherian ‘552”), in view of Park et al. (US 20160285596 A1, hereinafter “Park”), in view of Chen et al (US 20210045151 A1, hereinafter “Chen”), in view of Cherian et al. (US 20200021400 A1, hereinafter “Cherian ‘400”.
RE Claim 1: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
A method in a wireless local area network system , the method comprising:
allocating, by a sharing access point (AP) (master AP, a sharing access point, transmits TXOP resource coordination to a slave AP, a shared access point, ¶0131-0132; Fig. 1, ¶0135; Fig. 2, ¶0145), a first time interval in which the sharing AP and at least one first non-AP station (STA) belonging to a first basic service set (BSS) and associated with the sharing AP are allowed to exchange a frame and a second time interval in which a shared AP and at least one second non-AP STA associated with the shared AP are allowed to exchange a frame, (A single AP and associated set of non-AP STAs represent a basic service set, BSS. ¶0135, Fig. 1: 105, 115; Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; First AP, sharing AP, operates in the first portion of the TXOP. Second AP, shared AP, operates in the second portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3: 315, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151; An associated STA of an associated AP may receive a multi-AP physical proto data unit (MAP PPDU) transmission, during a first portion of a TXOP from an AP, to schedule coordinated communications with an AP. ¶0153, ¶0254, ¶0251, Fig. 14; The second AP, shared AP, transmits scheduling Multi-AP scheduling communications, MAP PPDU per ¶0254, received by one or more STAs associated with the second AP. ¶0150, Fig. 3: 315)
wherein the sharing AP has acquired a transmission opportunity (TXOP) (First AP, sharing AP, gains channel access, TXOP, with successful contention-based channel access procedure and initiates scheduling phase of resources within the TXOP for the first, sharing, and second, shared, AP. ¶0004),
wherein the first and second time intervals are included in a time division multiplexing access (TDMA) time interval (¶0439; First AP, sharing AP, operates in the first portion of the TXOP. Second AP, shared AP, operates in the second portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151; TDMA, ¶0439);
transmitting, by a sharing AP to the shared AP, a trigger frame including information related to the second time interval (First AP, sharing AP, transmits scheduling and trigger information to the second AP, shared AP for resource allocation during 2nd portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151);
transmitting, by a sharing AP to the at least one first non-AP STA, a first power saving duration (PSD) frame including information related to the first time interval (Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated with the first AP. ¶0005. Indication of resources for individual STAs may be in the signaling of the preamble. ¶0197, Fig. 7c, 777. The STAs may decode the MAP-PPDU preamble for resource allocation, if any. If a STA is not included in allocated resources in a TXOP, time interval, it may be allowed to go to doze state.; ¶0199; devices enter a power saving ‘deep sleep’ mode when not engaging in active communications in a TXOP, time interval. ¶0137);
transmitting, by a sharing AP to the at least one first non-AP STA, a first physical protocol data unit (PPDU) in the first time interval, wherein the first PPDU includes a legacy signal (L-SIG) field, a repeated L-SIG (RL-SIG) field being contiguous to the L-SIG field, and a first signal (SIG) field being contiguous to the RL-SIG field, (During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated with the first AP. ¶0005; STA may receive a multi-AP physical proto data unit (MAP PPDU) transmission, during a first portion of a TXOP from an AP, to schedule coordinated communications with an AP. ¶0254, ¶0251, Fig. 14; MAP PPDU includes a L-SIG field, a RL-SIG field which are contiguous fields. ¶0171, Fig. 6: 603, 604; MAP PPDU format includes a Hybrid SIG field/EHT-SIG-A/EHT-SIG-B, a signal field, containing EHT PPDU and contiguous to the RL-SIG field. ¶0165, Fig. 6c: 624, 635, 626) and
Cherian ‘552 does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the L-SIG field includes a length field, and a value of the length field is set to satisfy a condition that a remainder is zero (0) when the value of the length field is divided by three (3),
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols,
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols,
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU, and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS, third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP, fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission,
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Park discloses:
wherein the L-SIG field includes a length field, and a value of the length field is set to satisfy a condition that a remainder is zero (0) when the value of the length field is divided by three (3) (The LENGTH field in the L-SIG field for a VHT IEEE 802.11ac frame is divisible by 3. If the LENGTH field is not divisible by 3 (as specified in the standard) the VHT communications device would defer the transmission as an HE communication device. ¶0057),
Cherian ‘552 and Park do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols,
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols,
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU, and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS, third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP, fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission,
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Chen discloses:
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols (U-SIG, first SIG field, is two symbols in length. ¶0084),
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols (U-SIG, two symbols, includes version independent, first, and version dependent fields, second, indicating versions of wireless communication protocols. ¶0056, 0084, Fig. 4:416, 442, 444),
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU (TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes Version Identifier consisting of 3 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT) (Version independent fields include version identifier to indicate the WLAN protocol version of the packet, such as 802.11be for EHT. ¶0109, Fig. 10:1056),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS (TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes BSS Color Identifier consisting of 6 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP (U-SIG version independent field includes transmission opportunity, TxOP, duration. ¶0083; TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes TXOP field consisting of 7 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL) (U-SIG version independent field includes an indication of whether the PPDU is an uplink, UL, or downlink, DL. ¶0083; UL/DL bit indicator, 1 bit. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission (The version dependent fields indicate a PPDU format, such as format information field. The PPDU format determines other indicators, information, are included in the version dependent field. PPDU format field indicates the PDU is a TB PPDU or SU PPDU. ¶0083, Fig. 4: 444, 472, 474, 476, 478),
Cherian ‘552, Park, and Chen do not explicitly disclose:
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Cherian ‘400 discloses:
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS (Each AP operates as if part of an independent BSS and perform link specific actions for each independent BSS. ¶¶0096, 0098; Primary, sharing, and secondary, shared, AP to each of the STAs. ¶0106, Fig. 3;), a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval (STA reports Block ACK of packets received from secondary AP transmitted after the primary AP transmission, a second interval. ¶0109, Fig. 3), wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA (First and second STAs report combined scoreboard Block ACK, per packets received from primary and secondary AP, are transmitted to the primary AP and secondary AP. ¶¶0094-0095, 0109, Fig. 3); and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame (First and second STAs report combined scoreboard Block ACK, per packets received from primary and secondary AP, are transmitted to the primary AP and secondary AP. ¶¶0094-0095, 0109, Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cherian ‘552, communication and resource management method for a Sharing AP with other APs and STAs, with the teachings of Park, apply additional information in the communication method regarding specific protocols selected, with the teachings of Chen, format and parameters of a universal U-SIG, with the teachings of Cherian ‘400, block acknowledgement method of multiple associated AP and STAs.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improved communications of a Sharing AP with multi-AP and multi-STA network to improve AP scheduling, efficiency, interference avoidance, and power savings. (Cherian ‘552: Abstract, ¶¶0003-0004, 0046, 0128, 0346; Park: Abstract, ¶¶0002-0003, 00031-0032, 0050-0052, 0081; Chen: Abstract, ¶¶0005, 0056-0057, 0059, 0061, 0164; Cherian ‘400: Abstract, ¶¶0002-0003, 0004-0006, 0060, 0067, 0081, 0088, 0179, 0216-0217)
RE Claim 2: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
The method, wherein the first PSD frame includes first power saving mode information (During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated, a first STA, with the first AP. ¶0005. Indication of resources for individual STAs may be in the signaling of the preamble. ¶0197, Fig. 7c, 777.) for allowing the at least one first non-AP STA to operate in a power saving mode in the TDMA time interval excluding the first time interval. (Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; The STAs may decode the MAP-PPDU preamble for resource allocation, if any. If a STA is not included in allocated resources in a TXOP, first and second time intervals, it may be allowed to go to doze state. ¶0199; devices enter a power saving ‘deep sleep’ mode when not engaging in active communications in a TXOP, time interval. ¶0137; TDMA ¶0439)
RE Claim 5: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
The method, wherein the sharing AP and the shared AP are allocated to different basic service sets (BSS). (APs within a BSS and/or associated with different BSS’s perform a coordinated MU transmission using dynamically allocated resources. ¶0131)
RE Claim 7: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
A sharing access point (AP) in a wireless local area network system (master AP, a sharing access point, transmits TXOP resource coordination to a slave AP, a shared access point, ¶0131-0132; Fig. 1, ¶0135; Fig. 2, ¶0145), the sharing AP comprises,
a transceiver for transmitting and receiving a radio signal (¶0234; Fig. 12); and
a processor coupled to the transceiver (¶0234; Fig. 12), wherein the processor is adapted to:
allocate a first time interval in which the sharing AP and at least one first non-AP station (STA) belonging to a first basic service set (BSS) and associated with the sharing AP are allowed to exchange a frame and a second time interval in which a shared AP and at least one second non-AP STA associated with the shared AP are allowed to exchange a frame (A single AP and associated set of non-AP STAs represent a basic service set, BSS. ¶0135, Fig. 1: 105, 115; Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; First AP, sharing AP, operates in the first portion of the TXOP. Second AP, shared AP, operates in the second portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151; An associated STA of an associated AP may receive a multi-AP physical proto data unit (MAP PPDU) transmission, during a first portion of a TXOP from an AP, to schedule coordinated communications with an AP. ¶0153, ¶0254, ¶0251, Fig. 14; The second AP, shared AP, transmits scheduling Multi-AP scheduling communications, MAP PPDU per ¶0254, received by one or more STAs associated with the second AP. ¶0150, Fig. 3: 315),
wherein the sharing AP has acquired a transmission opportunity (TXOP) (First AP, sharing AP, gains channel access, TXOP, with successful contention-based channel access procedure and initiates scheduling phase of resources within the TXOP for the first, sharing, and second, shared, AP. ¶0004),
wherein the first and second time intervals are included in a time division multiplexing access (TDMA) time interval (¶0439; First AP, sharing AP, operates in the first portion of the TXOP. Second AP, shared AP, operates in the second portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151; TDMA ¶0439);
transmit, to the shared AP, a trigger frame including information related to the second time interval (First AP, sharing AP, transmits scheduling and trigger information to the second AP, shared AP for resource allocation during 2nd portion of the TXOP. ¶0150; Fig. 3, ¶0148; Fig. 4, ¶0151);
transmit, to the at least one first non-AP STA, a first power saving duration (PSD) frame including information related to the first time interval (Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated with the first AP. ¶0005. Indication of resources for individual STAs may be in the signaling of the preamble. ¶0197, Fig. 7c, 777. The STAs may decode the MAP-PPDU preamble for resource allocation, if any. If a STA is not included in allocated resources in a TXOP, time interval, it may be allowed to go to doze state.; ¶0199; devices enter a power saving ‘deep sleep’ mode when not engaging in active communications in a TXOP, time interval. ¶0137);
and transmit, to the at least one first non-AP STA, a physical protocol data unit PPDU in the first time interval (During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated with the first AP. ¶0005),
wherein the first PPDU includes a legacy signal (L-SIG) field, a repeated L-SIG (RL-SIG) field being contiguous to the L-SIG field, and a first signal (SIG) field being contiguous to the RL-SIG field (STA may receive a multi-AP physical proto data unit (MAP PPDU) transmission, during a first portion of a TXOP from an AP, to schedule coordinated communications with an AP. ¶0254, ¶0251, Fig. 14; MAP PPDU includes a L-SIG field, a RL-SIG field which are contiguous fields. ¶0171, Fig. 6: 603, 604; MAP PPDU format includes a Hybrid SIG field/EHT-SIG-A/EHT-SIG-B, a signal field, containing EHT PPDU and contiguous to the RL-SIG field. ¶0165, Fig. 6c: 624, 635, 626), and
Cherian ‘552 does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the L-SIG field includes a length field, and a value of the length field is set to satisfy a condition that a remainder is zero (0) when the value of the length field is divided by three (3),
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols,
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols,
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU, and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS, third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP, fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission,
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Park discloses:
wherein the L-SIG field includes a length field, and a value of the length field is set to satisfy a condition that a remainder is zero (0) when the value of the length field is divided by three (3) (The LENGTH field for a VHT IEEE 802.11ac frame is divisible by 3. If the LENGTH field is not divisible by 3 (as specified in the standard) the VHT communications device would defer the transmission as an HE communication device. ¶0057),
Cherian ‘552 and Park do not explicitly disclose:
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols,
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols,
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU, and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS, third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP, fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission,
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Chen discloses:
wherein the first SIG field has a length of two symbols (U-SIG, first SIG field, is two symbols in length. ¶0084),
wherein version independent fields are included in a first symbol of the two symbols, and version dependent fields are included in a second symbol of the two symbols (U-SIG, two symbols, includes version independent, first, and version dependent fields, second, indicating versions of wireless communication protocols. ¶0056, 0084, Fig. 4:416, 442, 444),
wherein the version independent fields include first information having a length of 3 bits and indicating a physical (PHY) version of the first PPDU (TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes Version Identifier consisting of 3 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), and a value of the first information identifies a PHY version starting with extremely high throughput (EHT) (Version independent fields include version identifier to indicate the WLAN protocol version of the packet, such as 802.11be for EHT. ¶0109, Fig. 10:1056),
wherein the version independent fields further include second information related to an identifier of a BSS (TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes BSS Color Identifier consisting of 6 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), third information indicating duration information related to the TXOP (U-SIG version independent field includes transmission opportunity, TxOP, duration. ¶0083; TB PPDU format includes version independent field which includes TXOP field consisting of 7 bits. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14), fourth information related to whether the first PPDU is sent in uplink (UL) or in downlink (DL) (U-SIG version independent field includes an indication of whether the PPDU is an uplink, UL, or downlink, DL. ¶0083; UL/DL bit indicator, 1 bit. ¶0114, Table 1 page. 12-14),
wherein the version dependent fields include fifth information related to whether the first PPDU is used for single user (SU) transmission or for trigger-based (TB) transmission (The version dependent fields indicate a PPDU format, such as format information field. The PPDU format determines other indicators, information, are included in the version dependent field. PPDU format field indicates the PDU is a TB PPDU or SU PPDU. ¶0083, Fig. 4: 444, 472, 474, 476, 478),
Cherian ‘552, Park, and Chen do not explicitly disclose:
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BS, a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval, wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA; and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame.
However, Cherian ‘400 discloses:
receiving, by the sharing AP from the at least one second non-AP STA belonging to a second BSS (Each AP operates as if part of an independent BSS and perform link specific actions for each independent BSS. ¶¶0096, 0098; Primary, sharing, and secondary, shared, AP to each of the STAs. ¶0106, Fig. 3;), a block acknowledge (BA) frame in the second time interval (STA reports Block ACK of packets received from secondary AP transmitted after the primary AP transmission, a second interval. ¶0109, Fig. 3), wherein the BA frame includes ACK information for a second PPDU, wherein the second PPDU is transmitted from the shared AP to the at least one second non-AP STA (First and second STAs report combined scoreboard Block ACK, per packets received from primary and secondary AP, are transmitted to the primary AP and secondary AP. ¶¶0094-0095, 0109, Fig. 3); and
determining, by the sharing AP, whether the second PPDU is successfully transmitted to the at least one second non-AP STA based on the BA frame (First and second STAs report combined scoreboard Block ACK, per packets received from primary and secondary AP, are transmitted to the primary AP and secondary AP. ¶¶0094-0095, 0109, Fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Cherian ‘552, communication and resource management method for a Sharing AP with other APs and STAs, with the teachings of Park, apply additional information in the communication method regarding specific protocols selected, with the teachings of Chen, format and parameters of a universal U-SIG, with the teachings of Cherian ‘400, block acknowledgement method of multiple associated AP and STAs.
The motivation in doing so would be to support improved communications of a Sharing AP with multi-AP and multi-STA network to improve AP scheduling, efficiency, interference avoidance, and power savings. (Cherian ‘552: Abstract, ¶¶0003-0004, 0046, 0128, 0346; Park: Abstract, ¶¶0002-0003, 00031-0032, 0050-0052, 0081; Chen: Abstract, ¶¶0005, 0056-0057, 0059, 0061, 0164; Cherian ‘400: Abstract, ¶¶0002-0003, 0004-0006, 0060, 0067, 0081, 0088, 0179, 0216-0217)
RE Claim 8: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
The sharing AP, wherein the first PSD frame includes first power saving mode information (During first portion of a TXOP, first time interval the first AP, sharing AP, initiates coordinated resource allocation communications, data, to a STA associated, a first STA, with the first AP. ¶0005. Indication of resources for individual STAs may be in the signaling of the preamble. ¶0197, Fig. 7c, 777.) for allowing the at least on first non-AP STA to operate in a power saving mode in the TDMA time interval excluding the first time interval. (Non-AP STA communicates and coordinates with APs in the network. ¶¶0243, 0244, 0246; The STAs may decode the MAP-PPDU preamble for resource allocation, if any. If a STA is not included in allocated resources in a TXOP, first and second time intervals, it may be allowed to go to doze state. ¶0199; devices enter a power saving ‘deep sleep’ mode when not engaging in active communications in a TXOP, time interval. ¶0137; TDMA ¶0439)
RE Claim 11: Cherian ‘552 discloses:
The sharing AP, wherein the sharing AP and the shared AP are allocated to different basic service sets (BSS). (APs within a BSS and/or associated with different BSS’s perform a coordinated MU transmission using dynamically allocated resources. ¶0131)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, and 11 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
US 20220345276 A1 Redlich et al.
US 20210297209 A1 Shellhammer et al.
The above references disclose various aspects of bit indications to improve multiple APs and STAs network performance with legacy and new technology WLAN devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL A. LANGER whose telephone number is (703)756-1780. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm, Eastern.
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 B. Divecha can be reached at 1 (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.
/PAUL A. LANGER/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419