DETAILED ACTION
The following is a final office action in response to applicant’s remarks/arguments 12/03/2025 for
response of the office action mailed on 9/18/2025. Claims 1, 3-14, and 16-18 remain pending in the application.
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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 12/03/2025 has been entered. Applicant’s amendments to the Drawing
have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Rejection mailed on 9/18/2025.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments (page 9-12), filed on 12/03/2025, with respect to claims 1, 14, and 17-
18 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Regarding remarks in page 8, for independent claim 1, applicant asserts that Kakani does not discuss each node transmitting a wakeup interval for a different node.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. KAKANI et al. (US 2009/0279464 Al) discloses “The message may be sent over the direct data transfer link to the receiving mobile wireless device or alternately, it may be sent through an access point wireless device or any other wireless device to the receiving mobile wireless device. In the case of multi-band operation, where the STAs 100A and 100B are associated with the access point (AP) 50 in one band, but are using another band for their communication over the direct data transfer link 110, then the TSF of the access point (AP) 50 in the common band they share with the AP, is used. The frame 130AD may be sent through the access point (AP) wireless device 50 and forwarded in frame 130 DB to the receiving mobile wireless device STA 100B. A handshake protocol conducted by the transmitting STA 100A and the receiving STA 100B over either the common node path 115 through the AP. The common node path 115 is a data transfer path that includes the access point 50 or any other wireless station, Kakani: Fig. 7, [0011], [0037], [0041], [0069], [0083]”.
Regarding remarks in page 8, for independent claim 1, applicant asserts that the cited references do not discuss transmitting a data packet that comprises a wakeup interval field in response to collecting data in a tag area network from a given other node.
Kakani discloses “FIG. 1E is an example after the next active direct data transfer period, service period or session has started, showing the transmitting STA has resumed transmitting the buffered data to the receiving STA over the direct data transfer link, Kakani: Fig. 1E, [0022], [0068]-[0069]”.
Regarding remarks in page 9, for dependent claim 17, applicant asserts that Applicant submits that the cited references discuss the reverse of what is claimed - identifying when a node transitions from a sleep state to a wakeup state.
The Fig. 1 of application’s drawing notes that the wakeup interval may be a time interval between the wakeup intervals, which is same as “sleep time period (sleep state)”. Guo et al. (US 2018/0227846 Al) discloses “The sleep timer is used to schedule how long the node sleeps in a sleep interval. the battery powered node B 200 uses three timers to manage its sleep and wakeup schedules as well as transmission schedule: wakeup timer, sleep timer and TX timer. Before going to sleep, the node B sets wakeup timer. When wakeup timer expires, node B wakes up. Upon waking up, node B sets sleep timer. When sleep timer expires, node B goes to sleep. When node B wakes up, the node also sets TX timer. When TX timer expires, node B starts its TX period and transmits the buffered data packets., Guo: [0055], [0119]”.
Regarding remarks in page 10, for dependent claim 14, applicant asserts that Prakash fails to cure the deficiencies of Shen/Kakani/Guo identified with respect to claim 1.
Prakash et al. (US 2018/0167955 Al) discloses “if the child node receives an association response rejecting/denying the association request, the child node transmits the prioritized association request to the next available node within communication range of the child node, Prakash: [0050]”.
Regarding remarks in page 11, for independent claim 18, applicant asserts that Applicant submits that the cited references discuss the reverse of what is claimed - identifying when a node transitions from a sleep state to a wakeup state.
The Fig. 1 of application’s drawing notes that the wakeup interval may be a time interval between the wakeup intervals, which is same as “sleep time period (sleep state)”. Guo et al. (US 2018/0227846 Al) discloses “The sleep timer is used to schedule how long the node sleeps in a sleep interval. the battery powered node B 200 uses three timers to manage its sleep and wakeup schedules as well as transmission schedule: wakeup timer, sleep timer and TX timer. Before going to sleep, the node B sets wakeup timer. When wakeup timer expires, node B wakes up. Upon waking up, node B sets sleep timer. When sleep timer expires, node B goes to sleep. When node B wakes up, the node also sets TX timer. When TX timer expires, node B starts its TX period and transmits the buffered data packets., Guo: [0055], [0119]”.
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 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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that
are applied 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.
Claims 1, 3-13, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SHEN et al. (WO 2017/222449 Al, hereinafter “Shen”) in view of Guo et al. (US 2018/0227846 Al, hereinafter “Guo”) in further view of KAKANI et al. (US 2009/0279464 Al, hereinafter “Kakani”).
Regarding claim 1, Shen disclose:
A low-power wireless network system comprising (Low power wireless communication, Shen: Page 1 Lines13-17):
a manager node (coordinator node (manager node), also known as provisioner node, may provide the gateway functionality to the external network, Shen: Page 1 Lines 22-26);
a plurality of nodes each configured to transmit a data packet to the manager node according to a set route table in a tag area network in response to collecting data in the tag area network from a given other node of the plurality of nodes, the data packet containing (messages are transmitted to each provisioning agent node to update a routing table to represent the routing path. performed in a device node joined to a short-range, multi-hop wireless area network for establishing routing paths to a provisioner node. provisioned device node, transmits information on discovered device nodes. the provisioned device node mediates provisioning data from the provisioner node to the at least one discovered device node, Shen: Page 5 Lines 20-23, Page 7 Lines 19-30):
a sink node which is a base station, selected by a command by the manager node, and configured to transmit the data packet transmitted from the plurality of nodes to the manager node (intermediary device (sink node), known as provisioning agent, that communicates directly with the new device during the provisioning procedure and performed in a provisioner node of a short-range, multihop wireless area network. Multi-hop provisioning is a typical use case which requires rapid transfer of a relatively large amount of data and message transactions between PR, PAs and NDs. Provisioning agents are assigned by the provisioner node during the provisioning procedure. new device (node) away from the provisioner, will communicate with the provisioning agent (sink node), Shen: Page 2 Lines 6-22, Page 3 Lines 22-24, Page 11 Lines 26-29).
Shen does not explicitly disclose:
a payload of the data collected for transmission to the manager node from the given other node of the plurality of nodes; and
However, in the same field of endeavor, Guo teaches:
a payload of the data collected for transmission to the manager node from the given other node of the plurality of nodes (FIG. 3A shows a schematic of wakeup message 220, which can include a message type field 300 to indicate type of the message, a node ID field 310 to indicate ID of the battery powered node that transmits the wakeup message, a RX period length field 320 to announce length of the time period the node will be receiving, a TX period length field 330 to indicate length of the time period the node will transmit buffered data packets, and options field 340 for any other information. The BPN is forming a multi-hop heterogeneous wireless network of nodes including data nodes and at least one sink node. the battery powered node computes active period (AP) length proportional to total number of the data packets to be transmitted, which includes buffered packets 400, self-generated packets 410 and relay packets 420, Guo: Fig. 3A, [0067]-[0069], [0117]), and
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen in view of Guo in order to further modify a payload of the data collected for transmission to the manager node from the given other node of the plurality of nodes from the teachings of Guo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to provide a system and a method for energy efficient management of multi-hop heterogeneous wireless networks including battery-powered nodes and mains-powered nodes (Guo: [0006]).
Yet, Shen does not explicitly disclose:
a wakeup interval field that identifies a wakeup interval of the given other node to each node between the given other node and the manager node to identify the wakeup interval of the given other node; and
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kakani teaches:
a wakeup interval field that identifies a wakeup interval of the given other node to each node between the given other node and the manager node to identify the wakeup interval of the given other node (the access point (AP) 50 can also relay communications between the mobile wireless devices (STAs) 1 00A, 100B, and 1 00C in the infrastructure BSS 70. FIG.1B shows the transmitting STA l00A inserting in the last message frame 120AB according to an embodiment, a specified time 126 when the next active direct data transfer period, service period or session will start. The message may be sent over the direct data transfer link to the receiving mobile wireless device or alternately, it may be sent through an access point wireless device or any other wireless device to the receiving mobile wireless device. In the case of multi-band operation, where the STAs 100A and 100B are associated with the access point (AP) 50 in one band, but are using another band for their communication over the direct data transfer link 110, then the TSF of the access point (AP) 50 in the common band they share with the AP, is used. The frame 130AD may be sent through the access point (AP) wireless device 50 and forwarded in frame 130 DB to the receiving mobile wireless device STA 100B. A handshake protocol conducted by the transmitting STA 100A and the receiving STA 100B over either the common node path 115 through the AP. The common node path 115 is a data transfer path that includes the access point 50 or any other wireless station, Kakani: Fig. 1B, Fig. 7, [0011], [0034]-[0037], [0037], [0041], [0069], [0083]); and
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen-Guo in view of Kakani in order to further modify a wakeup interval field that identifies a wakeup interval of the given other node to each node between the given other node and the manager node to identify the wakeup interval of the given other node from the teachings of Kakani.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to have the enhanced packet forwarding where the AP is aware of existing direct communication (e.g. use of the highest priority for forwarded packet or placing forwarded packet to the head of the queue) (Kakani: [0077]).
Regarding claim 3, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 1, wherein, when first and second new nodes are installed in the tag area network, the manager node transmits, to the sink node, a scan command for checking installation of the first and second new nodes (route request message is sent from the provisioner node through the whole network after the provisioner node has sent a message that assigns a provisioning agent (sink node) to a device (node) for provisioning, Shen: Page 20 Lines 13-30):
Regarding claim 4, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 3 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 3, wherein, when the scan command is received, the sink node transmits a scan packet corresponding to the scan command to the tag area network, and receives first and second route notification packets transmitted from the first and second new nodes, respectively, to check the installation of the first and second new nodes (selected discovery nodes will then be invited to perform provisioning scanning by the provisioner node that transmits a scanning request to the discovery nodes to scan for new device nodes within direct radio range of these discovery nodes, Shen: Page 14 Lines 31, Page 15 Lines 1-12):
Regarding claim 5, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 4 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 4, wherein, when the scan packet is received, the first and second new nodes set priority routes to the sink node and transmit the first and second route notification packets to the sink node, respectively (provisioner node receives information on discovered device nodes from the one or more discovery nodes in response to the scanning request. This information includes identifiers of the found new device nodes. The provisioner node determines a link cost (priority) associated with the radio link between each discovery node, Shen: Page 15 Lines 4-27).
Regarding claim 6, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 4 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 4, wherein, when the installation of the first and second new nodes is checked, the sink node transmits, to the manager node, a request packet for requesting first and second identifications (IDs) of the first and second new nodes to set routes for communication in the tag area network (provisioner node collects the link cost of each link between a node and selects the node with the least link cost. provisioner node performs the provisioning connection establishment with each new device via its provisioning agent (sink node), Shen: Page 19 Lines 14-24).
Regarding claim 7, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 6 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 6, wherein, when the request packet is received and only a route of the first new node among the first and second new nodes is set in the tag area network, the manager node transmits, to the sink node, the first ID and a route set command to set the route of the first new node (provisioner node requests nodes to scan and discover new devices and selects the node with the least link cost for each new device. provisioner node performs the provisioning connection establishment with each new device via its provisioning agent (sink node), Shen: Page 19 Lines 2-12), and
the sink node sets and updates the first ID in a set route table according to the route set command, and transmits a route notification set packet to the first new node (comprising transmitting messages to each provisioning agent node or discover node to update a routing table to represent the routing path, Shen: Page 31 Lines 11-14).
Regarding claim 8, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 7, wherein, when the route notification set packet is received, the first new node transmits, to the sink node, a first route set packet for a priority route to the sink node to notify setting of the priority route (provisioner node collects the link cost of each link between a node and selects the node with the least link cost for each new device. The link cost may be a function of link quality and load balance, Shen: Page 19 Lines 2-12).
Regarding claim 9, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 7, wherein, when the second new node does not receive the route notification set packet for a set time period, the second new node unsets a priority route to the sink node (provisioning the one or more un-provisioned device nodes from discovery nodes involving lowest link cost comprises assigning, for each discovered device node, the discovery node corresponding to the lowest link cost as provisioning agent node. The provisioning is concluded through the assigned provisioning agent node. If the message is same as one of the received routing request but the relay does not belong to the created route, the message is discarded, Shen: Page 4 Lines 14-18, Page 20 Lines 20-30).
Regarding claim 10, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 7, wherein, when the request packet is received and routes of the first and second new nodes are set in the tag area network, the manager node transmits, to the sink node, the first and second IDs and the route set command to set the routes of the first and second new nodes (provisioner node receives information on discovered device nodes from the one or more discovery nodes in response to the scanning request. provisioner node set up the network links between network nodes, assign relevant parameters to the network nodes and ensure basic maintenance of the network, Shen: Page 11 Lines 13-17, Page 15 Lines 4-12), and
the sink node sets and updates the first and second IDs in the set route table according to the route set command (comprising transmitting messages to each provisioning agent node or discover node to update a routing table to represent the routing path, Shen: Page 31 Lines 11-14).
Regarding claim 11, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 10 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 10, wherein, when the route notification set packet is received, the first and second new nodes transmit, to the sink node, first and second route setting packets for priority routes to the sink node to notify setting of the priority routes, respectively (provisioning the one or more un-provisioned device nodes from discovery nodes involving lowest link cost comprises assigning, for each discovered device node, the discovery node corresponding to the lowest link cost as provisioning agent node. The provisioning is concluded through the assigned provisioning agent node. establishing provisioning connections with the device nodes through the assigned provisioning agent node and delivering provisioning data to the device nodes through the assigned provision agent node. The procedure is repeated until all device have been joined to the network, Shen: Page 4 Lines 14-18, Page 17 Lines 11-30).
Regarding claim 12, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 1, wherein, when a particular node among the nodes is unset from the tag area network, the manager node transmits a particular identifier (ID) of the particular node and an unset command to the sink node to unset the particular node (new route cancel message is defined and to be sent out to a provisioning agent when provisioner does not have any assignments for provisioning agent to provision any new devices, the routes can be canceled by time out. The provisioner provides a new device the identifier and security information to allow the device to join in the network, Shen: Page 21 Lines 1-10, Page 26 Lines 6-7).
Regarding claim 13, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 12 above.
Shen further discloses:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 12, wherein the sink node transmits an unset packet to the particular node according to the unset command, and unsets the particular ID from a route table in which IDs of the nodes are set (A path P(UN) is created for each UN in a provisioning tree topology. The provisioner, PR, is added as a node to the path P(UN). If all new NDs have been joined in the network, the provisioning procedure is ended and the established optimized paths between a PR and a node not selected as a router may be removed, Shen: Page 27 Lines 2-29).
Regarding claim 16, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Shen does not explicitly disclose:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 1, wherein a first node, among the nodes, transmits a first data packet comprising a first wakeup interval and the data to at least one of the sink node and a second node among the nodes, and
wherein the at least one of the second node and the sink node sets, in a set wakeup table, the first wakeup interval comprised in the first data packet, and transmits a second data packet to the first node according to the first wakeup interval.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Guo teaches:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 1, wherein a first node, among the nodes, transmits a first data packet comprising a first wakeup interval and the data to at least one of the sink node and a second node among the nodes (node uses wakeup message and active period extension notification message to announce its active period settings to neighbors. When node wakes up from sleep, the node transmits a wakeup message. wakeup message can include a message type field, a node ID field, a RX period length field, a TX period length field, and options field for any other information, Guo: [0066]-[0067]), and
wherein the at least one of the second node and the sink node sets, in a set wakeup table, the first wakeup interval comprised in the first data packet, and transmits a second data packet to the first node according to the first wakeup interval (each node maintains a active period table that includes parent ID, parent RX period ending time and parent TX period ending time. these values are obtained in wakeup message or active period extension notification message. The active period table is used by a data node to select the best parent to send data packet at a given time, Guo: [0108]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen in view of Guo in order to further modify transmitting a first data packet comprising a first wakeup interval from a first node and the data and the first wakeup interval comprised in the first data packet and transmits a second data packet to the first node according to the first wakeup interval from the teachings of Guo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to provide a system and a method for energy efficient management of multi-hop heterogeneous wireless networks including battery-powered nodes and mains-powered nodes (Guo: [0006]).
Regarding claim 17, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Shen does not explicitly disclose:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 1, wherein the wakeup interval specifies when a given node of the plurality of nodes from which a given data packet originates will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Guo teaches:
wherein the wakeup interval specifies when a given node of the plurality of nodes from which a given data packet originates will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state (The sleep timer is used to schedule how long the node sleeps in a sleep interval. the battery powered node B 200 uses three timers to manage its sleep and wakeup schedules as well as transmission schedule: wakeup timer, sleep timer and TX timer. Before going to sleep, the node B sets wakeup timer. When wakeup timer expires, node B wakes up. Upon waking up, node B sets sleep timer. When sleep timer expires, node B goes to sleep. When node B wakes up, the node also sets TX timer. When TX timer expires, node B starts its TX period and transmits the buffered data packets, Guo: [0055], [0119]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen in view of Guo in order to further modify specifying the wakeup interval when a given node of the plurality of nodes from which a given data packet originates will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state from the teachings of Guo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to provide a system and a method for energy efficient management of multi-hop heterogeneous wireless networks including battery-powered nodes and mains-powered nodes (Guo: [0006]).
Regarding claim 18, Shen disclose:
A low-power wireless network system comprising (Low power wireless communication, Shen: Page 1 Lines13-17):
a plurality of nodes, including (The multi-hop, mesh network comprises a coordinator node assigned to handle provisioning for the shortrange WPAN, i.e., to set up the network links between network nodes, assign relevant parameters to the network nodes, Shen: Page 1 Lines18-25):
a manager node (coordinator node (manager node), also known as provisioner node, may provide the gateway functionality to the external network, Shen: Page 1 Lines 22-26);
a first node (node 104, Shen: Fig.1, Page 16 Lines22-25);
a second node (node 203, Shen: Fig.1, Page 16 Lines22-25); and
a third node (node 202 found 303 and 304, Shen: Fig.1, Page 16 Lines30-32),
the manager node is configured to select a sink node from the first node, the second node, and the third node to act as a base station that transmits data packets received from other nodes of the plurality of nodes to the manager node (coordinator node (manager node), also known as provisioner node, may provide the gateway functionality to the external network, Shen: Page 1 Lines 22-26), and
each given data packet of the data packets received from the other nodes of the plurality of nodes contains (messages are transmitted to each provisioning agent node to update a routing table to represent the routing path. performed in a device node joined to a short-range, multi-hop wireless area network for establishing routing paths to a provisioner node. provisioned device node, transmits information on discovered device nodes. the provisioned device node mediates provisioning data from the provisioner node to the at least one discovered device node, Shen: Page 5 Lines 20-23, Page 7 Lines 19-30):
Shen does not explicitly disclose:
a payload of data collected in a tag network for transmission to the manager node from an originating node of the plurality of nodes from which the given data packet originated; and
wherein the wakeup interval specifies when the originating node will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Guo teaches:
a payload of data collected in a tag network for transmission to the manager node from an originating node of the plurality of nodes from which the given data packet originated (FIG. 3A shows a schematic of wakeup message 220, which can include a message type field 300 to indicate type of the message, a node ID field 310 to indicate ID of the battery powered node that transmits the wakeup message, a RX period length field 320 to announce length of the time period the node will be receiving, a TX period length field 330 to indicate length of the time period the node will transmit buffered data packets, and options field 340 for any other information. The BPN is forming a multi-hop heterogeneous wireless network of nodes including data nodes and at least one sink node. the battery powered node computes active period (AP) length proportional to total number of the data packets to be transmitted, which includes buffered packets 400, self-generated packets 410 and relay packets 420, Guo: Fig. 3A, [0067]-[0069], [0117]); and
wherein the wakeup interval specifies when the originating node will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state (When wakeup timer expires, node configures its initial active period, i.e., computes RX period length and TX period length, then turns on radio and transmits a wakeup message. After transmitting wakeup message, node starts RX process, Guo: [0120]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen in view of Guo in order to further modify a payload of the data collected for transmission to the manager node from the given other node of the plurality of nodes and the wakeup interval specifying the originating node will transition from a wakeup state to a sleep state from the teachings of Guo.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to provide a system and a method for energy efficient management of multi-hop heterogeneous wireless networks including battery-powered nodes and mains-powered nodes (Guo: [0006]).
Yet, Shen does not explicitly disclose:
a wakeup interval field that provides a wakeup interval of the originating node to each node of the plurality of nodes that receives the given data packet between the originating node and the manager node,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Kakani teaches:
a wakeup interval field that provides a wakeup interval of the originating node to each node of the plurality of nodes that receives the given data packet between the originating node and the manager node (the access point (AP) 50 can also relay communications between the mobile wireless devices (STAs) 1 00A, 100B, and 1 00C in the infrastructure BSS 70. FIG.1B shows the transmitting STA l00A inserting in the last message frame 120AB according to an embodiment, a specified time 126 when the next active direct data transfer period, service period or session will start. The message may be sent over the direct data transfer link to the receiving mobile wireless device or alternately, it may be sent through an access point wireless device or any other wireless device to the receiving mobile wireless device. In the case of multi-band operation, where the STAs 100A and 100B are associated with the access point (AP) 50 in one band, but are using another band for their communication over the direct data transfer link 110, then the TSF of the access point (AP) 50 in the common band they share with the AP, is used. The frame 130AD may be sent through the access point (AP) wireless device 50 and forwarded in frame 130 DB to the receiving mobile wireless device STA 100B. A handshake protocol conducted by the transmitting STA 100A and the receiving STA 100B over either the common node path 115 through the AP. The common node path 115 is a data transfer path that includes the access point 50 or any other wireless station, Kakani: Fig. 1B, Fig. 7, [0011], [0034]-[0037], [0037], [0041], [0069], [0083]); and
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen-Guo in view of Kakani in order to further modify a wakeup interval field that identifies a wakeup interval of the given other node to each node between the given other node and the manager node to identify the wakeup interval of the given other node from the teachings of Kakani.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because it is possible to have the enhanced packet forwarding where the AP is aware of existing direct communication (e.g. use of the highest priority for forwarded packet or placing forwarded packet to the head of the queue) (Kakani: [0077]).
Claims 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shen-Guo-Kakani and in
further view of Prakash et al. (US 2018/0167955 Al, hereinafter “Prakash”).
Regarding claim 14, Shen-Guo-Kakani teach all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 13 above.
Shen-Guo do not explicitly disclose:
The low-power wireless network system of claim 13, wherein, when the unsetting packet is received, the particular node deletes a priority route set in the tag area network, and transmits, to the tag area network, a route unset notification packet for notifying the unsetting.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakash teaches:
wherein, when the unsetting packet is received, the particular node deletes a priority route set in the tag area network, and transmits, to the tag area network, a route unset notification packet for notifying the unsetting (if the child node receives an association response rejecting/denying the association request, the child node transmits the prioritized association request to the next available node within communication range of the child node, Prakash: [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Shen-Guo-Kakani in view of Prakash in order to further modify the processing when the unsetting packet is received, the particular node deletes a priority route set in the tag area network and transmits to the tag area network a route unset notification packet for notifying the unsetting from the teachings of Prakash.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated determining whether to transmit an association request with priority (Prakash: [0004]).
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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.
In the case of amendments, applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and support, for ascertaining the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
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/S.C.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2467
/Robert C Scheibel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467 February 5, 2026