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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 January 02, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-25 are pending in the present application. Claims 18-21 have been withdrawn from consideration
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The claim recites wherein the allocation comprises a resource unit (RU) allocation subfield that specifies, via one or more allocation indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel, a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station.
However, upon reviewing the specification, the Examiner found no description related to the claimed. There is no description of resource unit. There is no description of subfield specifying a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station. There is no description of “indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel.”
Applicant is welcomed to provide support from the specification.
Claims 2-17 are rejected for being dependent upon rejected claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 22, 23 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang (US 2007/0087724, “Jang”).
Regarding claim 22, Jang teaches a system, comprising: an access point (AP) (FIG. 1, APs 210, 202) configured to:
determine which stations among a plurality of stations are permitted access to a wireless communication medium in a subsequent uplink frame (FIG. 3, [0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 3 10a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a); and
broadcast a trigger frame to the plurality of stations, the trigger frame identifying a first station of the plurality of stations as permitted access to the wireless communication medium, the trigger frame further identifying an allocation of the subsequent uplink frame for the first station (FIG. 3, [0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 310a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a), a duration of the uplink may being based on at least one of: a predicted uplink throughput, or a usage scenario ([0049] - if there is still an additional need for additional resource allocation, more than one sub MAP frames and an uplink period or a downlink period based on the sub MAP frames can be additionally included in the transmission frame period 300).
Regarding claim 23, Jang teaches claim 2 and further teaches receive, during the allocation of the subsequent uplink frame allocated to the first station, an acknowledgment of downlink data transmitted to the first station, uplink data, a resource allocation request from the first station requesting access to a second subsequent uplink frame, or combinations thereof ([0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 3 10a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a. [0048] - The STA, allocated phase resources by the sub MAP frame 310b, exchanges data and ACK with the AP in the periods indicated by the corresponding STA information 332b. [0036] - According to the present invention, the data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the following uplink period. The data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the sub MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the uplink period additionally allocated depending on the following sub MAP frame).
Regarding claim 25, Jang teaches claim 22 and further teaches to designate at least one allocation to each of the plurality of stations within a threshold amount of time ([0044] - The Duration fields 348a each indicate an interval from a start to an end of the period, i.e. indicate a length of the period in a multiple of a predetermined unit of time (for example, 16 us)).
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, 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, 8-10, 12, and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo et al. (US 2017/0078052, “Matsuo”).
Regarding claim 1, Jang teaches a method, comprising:
determining, by an access point, which stations among a plurality of stations are permitted access to a wireless communication medium in a subsequent uplink frame (FIG. 3, [0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 3 10a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a); and
broadcasting a trigger frame to the plurality of stations, the trigger frame identifying a first station of the plurality of stations as permitted access to the wireless communication medium, the trigger frame further identifying an allocation of the subsequent uplink frame for the first station ([0042] - an AP first transmits a MAP frame 310a with a basic rate set (including modulation scheme, coding rate, and data rate), which is less than a normal rate set. This is to enable all STAs in the service coverage area to receive the MAP frame 310a At the start of the communications. [0044] - The STA Information fields … 336a each include STA ID fields… 344a that indicate STAs allocated the periods in … the first uplink period 314a. [0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 3 10a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a) a duration of the uplink may being based on at least one of: a predicted uplink throughput, or a usage scenario ([0049] - if there is still an additional need for additional resource allocation, more than one sub MAP frames and an uplink period or a downlink period based on the sub MAP frames can be additionally included in the transmission frame period 300),
{wherein the allocation comprises a resource unit (RU) allocation subfield that specifies, via one or more allocation indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel, a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station}.
Jang does not teach wherein the allocation comprises a resource unit (RU) allocation subfield that specifies, via one or more allocation indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel, a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station.
Matsuo teaches wherein the allocation comprises a resource unit (RU) allocation subfield that specifies, via one or more allocation indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel, a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station ([0076]- the AP selects five STAs 1 to 5, therefore five STA information fields 1 to 5 (STA Info 1 to 5) are set to the frame body field of the trigger frame. [0081] the STA information fields 1 to n include STA identification field (e.g., STA ID field), resource unit identification field (e.g., RU# field). [0082] The RU# field includes information to designate a resource unit that the corresponding STA utilizes for UL-OFDMA. In some embodiments, various formats of the information may be utilized as long as the resource unit can be designated. For example, resource units may be designated by resource unit numbers (identifications). In some embodiments, resource units may be designated by the order of resource unit from high frequency side or low frequency side. In some embodiments, resource units may also be designated by combination with the identification of channel that is utilized for UL-OFDMA. In some embodiments, a configuration is possible in which group identifications each of which identifies more than one resource units are defined and one or more group identifications are designated in the RU# fields. In this case, it is assumed that the STA can identify usable resource units from the group identifications. [0050] The bandwidth of one channel may be 20 MHz. Note: “Identification of channel” teaches one or more indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature wherein the allocation comprises a resource unit (RU) allocation subfield that specifies, via one or more allocation indices each corresponding to a 20 MHz subchannel, a multiple resource unit (MRU) comprising a plurality of RUs assigned to the first station, as taught by Matsuo in Jang to improve communication efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches during the allocation of the subsequent uplink frame allocated to the first station, receiving an acknowledgment of downlink data transmitted to the first station, uplink data, a resource allocation request from the first station requesting access to a second subsequent uplink frame, or combinations thereof ([0045] - the first trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 3 10a represent… uplink periods first allocated to each STA… The STA, allocated a phase resource in the MAP frame 310a… transmits data in the period indicated by the corresponding STA information 336a in the first uplink period 314a. [0048] - The STA, allocated phase resources by the sub MAP frame 310b, exchanges data and ACK with the AP in the periods indicated by the corresponding STA information 332b. [0036] - According to the present invention, the data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the following uplink period. The data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the sub MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the uplink period additionally allocated depending on the following sub MAP frame).
Regarding claim 8, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches further comprising designating at least one allocation to each of the plurality of stations within a threshold amount of time ([0044] - The Duration fields 348a each indicate an interval from a start to an end of the period, i.e. indicate a length of the period in a multiple of a predetermined unit of time (for example, 16 us)).
Regarding claim 9, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches further comprising wherein the threshold amount of time spans multiple uplink frames ([0044] - The Duration fields 348a each indicate an interval from a start to an end of the period, i.e. indicate a length of the period in a multiple of a predetermined unit of time (for example, 16 us)).
Regarding claim 10, Jang teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the trigger frame is transmitted during a downlink frame, the subsequent uplink frame and the downlink frame together forming a super frame ([0042] – “an AP first transmits a MAP frame 310a” indicates downlink. FIG. 3 shows MAP 310a and DL period 312a which teach claimed “downlink frame” and UL period 314a teaches uplink frame).
Regarding claim 12, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches transmitting downlink data to the first station prior to the subsequent uplink frame, the trigger frame broadcasted previous to transmitting the downlink data to the first station (FIG. 3 show the sequence MAP 310a - DL period 31a – UL period 314a).
Regarding claim 14, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the trigger frame further identifies an administrative allocation for a third station, the third station receiving downlink data from the access point prior to the subsequent uplink frame, the third station without another allocation in the subsequent uplink frame (FIG. 3 shows UL MAP 322a includes STA INFO #N).
Regarding claim 15, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the administrative allocation is of a duration to accommodate an acknowledgment packet, a resource allocation request, or both ([0036] - According to the present invention, the data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the following uplink period. The data transmitted in the downlink period indicated by the sub MAP frame is acknowledged by an ACK in the uplink period additionally allocated depending on the following sub MAP frame).
Regarding claim 16, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 and further teaches broadcasting a beacon to the plurality of stations, the beacon including timing information from the access point, the timing information usable by the stations to synchronize with the access point (FIG. 3, STA INFO includes STA ID, TIME OFFSET and DURATION see also [0044]).
Regarding claim 17, Jang teaches claim 16 and further teaches wherein the allocation includes a start time {and an end time}, the start time based on the timing information from the access point (FIG. 3, [0044] - Time Offset fields 342a and 346a that indicate starts of the periods allocated to the STAs… The Time Offset fields 342a and 346a each indicate an interval from the MAP frame 310a until a start of a corresponding period in a multiple of a predetermined unit of time (for example, 4 us)).
It should be noted, Jang teaches “duration fields 343a and 348a.” It is understood the Time Offset fields 342a and 346a and duration fields 343a and 348a together define an “allocated periods” (see [0044]). Although Jang does not specifically teaches “an end time”, however, the examiner submits that such implementation is simply design choice as start time and end time or start time and duration can be both used to define the periods.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature an end time, in Jang so that the STA does not have to perform a conversion from a duration to an end time.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo further in view of Tsai et al. (US 2016/0315741, “Tsai”).
Regarding claim 3, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 2 but fails to teach delaying transmission of an acknowledgment responsive to the received uplink data until after the subsequent uplink frame.
Tsai teaches delaying transmission of an acknowledgment responsive to the received uplink data until after the subsequent uplink frame ([0050] - AP may send back acknowledgement in the next DL subframe to each CPE that is scheduled for transmission in the current UL subframe. Note: according to FIG. 2 which show TDD frame structure, “next DL subframe” means the AP must wait entirely UL subframe util the next DL subframe arrives)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature delaying transmission of an acknowledgment responsive to the received uplink data until after the subsequent uplink frame, as taught by Tsai in Jang to avoid collision with UL transmissions.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo further in view of Wentink (US 2008/0144558)
Regarding claim 4, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 2 but fails to teach wherein the combinations of the acknowledgment, the uplink data, or the resource allocation request are received with a single header and a combined payload.
Wentink teaches wherein the combinations of the acknowledgment, the uplink data, or the resource allocation request are received with a single header and a combined payload ([0049] - If there is payload data to send back to the access point 110, the client device 102 can send the payload data and the acknowledgement in a single packet and return to sleep mode (block 754)).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature wherein the combinations of the acknowledgment, the uplink data, or the resource allocation request are received with a single header and a combined payload, as taught by Wentink in Jang to reduce the number of frames exchanged thereby improving battery life.
Claims 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo further in view of Zheng et al (2008/0002734, “Zheng”).
Regarding claim 5, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 2 but fails to teach wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame.
Zheng teaches wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame ([0055] eligible transmission opportunities may be indicated, for example, by contention windows or uplink intervals indicated via Request Information Elements (IEs) or Initial Ranging IEs that may be sent, for example, by a base station via UL-MAP messages (e.g., 802.16 UL-MAP messages)).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame, as taught by Zheng in Jang to decrease the probability of collision.
Regarding claim 6, Jang in view of Matsuo and Zheng teaches claim 5 but Kim fails to teach during the contention period of the subsequent uplink frame, receiving a resource allocation request from a second station requesting access to a second subsequent uplink frame, the second station without an allocation in the trigger frame of the subsequent uplink frame.
Zheng teaches during the contention period of the subsequent uplink frame, receiving a resource allocation request from a second station requesting access to a second subsequent uplink frame, the second station without an allocation in the trigger frame of the subsequent uplink frame ([0056] - the BS 404 may indicate a contention window or uplink interval in which requests may be made for resources, e.g., bandwidth, for uplink transmission, e.g., for uplink data transmission).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature during the contention period of the subsequent uplink frame, receiving a resource allocation request from a second station requesting access to a second subsequent uplink frame, the second station without an allocation in the trigger frame of the subsequent uplink frame, as taught by Zheng in Jang to decrease the probability of collision.
Regarding claim 7, Jang in view of Matsuo and Zheng teaches claim 5 but Kim fails to teach receiving, during the contention period, an association request from a new station requesting to communicate with the access point.
Zheng teaches receiving, during the contention period, an association request from a new station requesting to communicate with the access point ([0057] - a base station, e.g., BS 404, or other network node, may provide indicators of transmission opportunities (e.g., via the contention window or uplink interval 502) via a trigger frame (e.g., an 802.16 UL-MAP) which may be provided to one or more network nodes, e.g., MS/SSs and/or RSs that may be permitted to send, for example, bandwidth requests or initial ranging requests).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature receiving, during the contention period, an association request from a new station requesting to communicate with the access point, as taught by Zheng in Jang to decrease the probability of collision.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo further in view of Wang et al. (US 2016/0157195, “Wang”).
Regarding claim 11, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 but does not teach coordinating the super frame of the access point with at least one other access point.
However Wang teaches coordinating the super frame of the access point with at least one other access point ([0036] - When AP knows the neighbor's AP DL and UL transmission duration, it can synchronize the DL/UL transmission in its BSS by using the same DL transmission duration and setting the same UL PPDU transmit duration in the trigger frame, allowing its UL STA's transmission to end at the same time as its neighbor BSS. The information of the DL and UL transmission duration can be exchanged or distributed among neighboring BSSs).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature coordinating the super frame of the access point with at least one other access point, as taught by Wang in Jang to mitigate interference.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Matsuo further in view of Luo et al. (US 2017/0105229, “Luo”)
Regarding claim 13, Jang in view of Matsuo teaches claim 1 but does not teach transmitting downlink data to the first station prior to the subsequent uplink frame, the trigger frame broadcasted after transmitting the downlink data to the first station.
However Wang teaches transmitting downlink data to the first station prior to the subsequent uplink frame, the trigger frame broadcasted after transmitting the downlink data to the first station (FIG. 2 shows UL/DL map is transmitted after DL subframes and before UL subframes).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature transmitting downlink data to the first station prior to the subsequent uplink frame, the trigger frame broadcasted after transmitting the downlink data to the first station, as taught by Wang in Jang to allow time-frequency resource to be efficiently indicated to the STA (Wang, [0005]).
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang in view of Zheng et al (2008/0002734, “Zheng”).
Regarding claim 24, Jang teaches claim 22 but fails to teach wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame.
Zheng teaches wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame ([0055] eligible transmission opportunities may be indicated, for example, by contention windows or uplink intervals indicated via Request Information Elements (IEs) or Initial Ranging IEs that may be sent, for example, by a base station via UL-MAP messages (e.g., 802.16 UL-MAP messages)).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having skill in the art to include the feature wherein the trigger frame further identifies a contention period during the subsequent uplink frame, as taught by Zheng in Jang to decrease the probability of collision.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-16 have been considered but are moot in view of new ground rejection.
Regarding the rejection of claim 22, although the claim has been amended to include “trigger frame”, however, the Examiner submits Wang teaches “trigger frame 322a of the MAP frame 310” (see e.g. [0045].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOC THAI NGOC VU whose telephone number is (571)270-5901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached at 571-272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/QUOC THAI N VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642