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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/14/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment/Remarks
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 04/14/2026.
Claims 1 -10, 12- 20 are pending and are examined in this office action.
Claims 1-2, 4-10, 13, 17-20 have been amended.
No new claim has been added and claim 11 has been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 04/14/2026, with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to any of the references being used in the current rejection. The Examiner found features modified to claims, i.e claim 1 as
“1. (Currently Amended) A first communication device configured to communicate with a second communication device via at least two links including a first link having a first radio frequency (RF) chain including first hardware components in series for performing RF communications and a second link having a second RF chain that is different from the first RF chain and that includes second hardware components in series for performing RF communications, the first communication device comprising: circuitry configured to - switch between a full operation mode and a partial operation mode, wherein {_in the full operation mode (a)the first link is disabled, and(b)_the second link at least one of(i)commonly uses bandwidths min the partial operation mode at least one of (each link uses a respective subset of the bandwidths switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode and completion of the initiated switching, or
that have changed the scope of the invention, Therefore, Applicant’s remarks regarding rejection under 35 U.S.C 103 for the claims are moot. Applicant's remarks are considered as forward looking statement for the newly reconstructed claims.
In view of the applicant’s amendment to the claims, the examiner has clarified and remapped the rejection to the argued claim limitations in details, using the prior art of record in the current prosecution of the claims as well a new prior art. See HSU et al. (US 20200163141 A1; hereinafter as “HSU3141”).
Examiner’s NOTE: there are multiple “AND/OR” limitations in the claims. The examiner will always take “OR” option unless specifically mention.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7-10, 13-14, 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG et al. (US 20230046270 A1; hereinafter as “HUANG”) in view of HSU et al. (US 20200163141 A1; hereinafter as “HSU3141”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to HUANG unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independence claim:
Regarding claim 1, HUANG teaches, A First communication device (see fig. 1A: non-AP MLD ) configured to communicate with a second communication device (Fig. 1A: AP MLD ) via at least two links (aforesaid Non-AP MLD is connected with AP MLD with 2 or more links as shown in Fig. 1A: “A communications system 100 shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B includes at least two multi-link devices (multi-link device, MLD). For example, one is an access point (access point, AP) multi-link device, and the other is a non-access point (non-access point, non-AP) multi-link device. ”: [0110]),
PNG
media_image1.png
464
351
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
327
544
media_image2.png
Greyscale
including a first link having (==Link 1 in fig. 1A) a first radio _frequency (RF) chain including first hardware components (==radio frequency modules) in series for performing RF communications (aforesaid NOP-AP MLD is a multiple-radio-multi-link device; aforesaid multiple-radio-multi-link device has a plurality of radio frequency modules, and the radio frequency modules separately works on different frequency bands or channels.:[0003]; “ a multi-link device (for example, the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B) is an apparatus having a wireless communications function. The apparatus is a device of an entire system, or is a chip, a processing system, or the like installed in a device of an entire system. The device on which the chip or the processing system is installed implements a method and a function in at least one embodiment, under control of the chip or the processing system. For example, the multi-link device is a multi-link device with a single antenna (or a single radio frequency module), or is a multi-link device with a plurality of antennas (or a plurality of radio frequency modules). A quantity of antennas included in the multi-link device is not limited in at least one embodiment.”: [0115])) and
a second link (==LINK 2 in Fig. 2 ) having a second RF chain that is different from the first RF chain and that includes second hardware components in series for performing RF communications (aforesaid NOP-AP MLD is a multiple-radio-multi-link device; aforesaid multiple-radio-multi-link device has a plurality of radio frequency modules (==hardware component in claim), and the radio frequency modules separately works on different frequency bands or channels.:[0003] ; “ a multi-link device (for example, the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B) is an apparatus having a wireless communications function. The apparatus is a device of an entire system, or is a chip, a processing system, or the like installed in a device of an entire system. The device on which the chip or the processing system is installed implements a method and a function in at least one embodiment, under control of the chip or the processing system. For example, the multi-link device is a multi-link device with a single antenna (or a single radio frequency module), or is a multi-link device with a plurality of antennas (or a plurality of radio frequency modules). A quantity of antennas included in the multi-link device is not limited in at least one embodiment.”: [0115])
the first communication device (see fig. 1A: non-AP MLD) comprising:
circuitry configured to:
switch between a full operation mode and a partial operation mode ( “For a multi-radio multi-link device (==non-ap MLD), in response to a data volume being relatively small or there is no delay-sensitive service, to reduce energy consumption, a part of links is in a doze (doze) or disable (disable) state. In response to the data volume being relatively large or there is a real-time service, the link in the doze (doze) or disable (disable) state is enabled again (==full operation mode), so that the link is in an awake (awake) or enable (enable) (==full operation mode), state. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, an assumption is made that the non-AP MLD 102 is a multi-radio multi-link device, the link 1 is in an enable state, and the link 2 and the link 3 are in a doze state. In response to a data frame needs to be transmitted on the link 2, the non-AP MLD needs to transit the link 2 from the doze state to the awake state. ”:[0124]; NOTE: full operation mode when all LINK1, LINK2 are used for data transfers, Partial Operation Mode, when one of the LINK or part of those three links are in used).
While HUANG teaches switch delay in paragraphs ([0123]-[-124]),
HUANG does not expressively disclose:
wherein (1) in the full operation mode
(a) the first link is disabled, and
(b) the second link at least one of
(i)commonly uses bandwidths of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device, or
(ii) commonly uses spatial streams of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device, and
wherein (2 ) in the partial operation mode at least one of
each link uses a respective subset of the bandwidths of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device, or
each link uses a respective subset of the spatial streams of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device; and
- control at least one of
the moment of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode under consideration of a switching delay indicating a delay between an initiation of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode and completion of the initiated switching, or
(2) the moment of accessing the second link in the full operation mode under consideration of a the switching delay indicating the delay between the initiation of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode and the completion of the initiated switching.
HSU3141, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
PNG
media_image3.png
355
564
media_image3.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image4.png
341
595
media_image4.png
Greyscale
wherein (1) in the full operation mode
(a) the first link is disabled, and
(b) the second link at least one of
(i) commonly uses bandwidths of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device (see fir. 1 where Multi-Band Cooperative AP 120 is connected with Multi-Band Cooperative AAP 165 using two different paths 5 Ghz and 2.4 Ghz “ With regard to FIG. 1, an exemplary wireless communication system 100 including a multi-band cooperative AP 105 and a multi-band cooperative STA 155 is depicted according to embodiments of the present invention. The multi-band cooperative AP 105 includes a 5 GHz transceiver 110 and a 2.4 GHz transceiver 115.”: [0029; See Fig. 2A “ FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary frame exchange timing diagram 200 initiated by an AP for enabling a disabled link 210 (==the first link is disable ) according to embodiments of the present invention. The frame exchange 200 includes a request 215 to enable the disabled link 210 (==the first link is disable ) carried over an enabled link 205. The enabled link 205 and the disabled link 210 transmit over different bands (e.g., 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, etc.) Specifically, the AP sends request frame 215 carrying link IDs and an ENABLE flags to the STA to enable one or more disabled links.”: [0035]]; NOTE: ONE link is DISABLE, other 2nd link carry all the traffic from AP to other STA or another AP; One link is DISALBE, all the traffic travel using the ENABLED link: [0038]-[0039] ), or
(ii) commonly uses spatial streams of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device (NOTE: this is an OR function and does not need to be addressed although current reference will teach this), and
wherein (2 ) in the partial operation mode at least one of
each link uses a respective subset of the bandwidths of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device ( 2nd link ENABLED from DISABLE mode and two links use from multi-band AP to STA or STA to multi-band AP : [0048]), or
each link uses a respective subset of the spatial streams of the at least two links including the first link and the second link for the communication with the second communication device (NOTE: this is an OR function and does not need to be addressed although current reference will teach this); and
- control at least one of
the moment of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode under consideration of a switching delay indicating a delay between an initiation of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode and completion of the initiated switching (see fig. 2A: “Required Delay to enable Link” in 225; “ In this case, the STA determines operational parameter updates for the link or links to be enabled (if any). The STA sends a response frame 220 to the AP to indicate which link or links will be enabled (if any), and for each link, the frame can include a new delay defining the required delay 225 for enabling a respective link.”: [0035]; see FIG. LINK DISABLE requires a DELAY to switch to LINK ENABLE and star using two LINKs and switch from FULL MODE to Partial Mode : [0035]; “ For example, when an STA associates with an AP, the capabilities and operational parameters of each link are negotiated and are configured accordingly after successful association. The capabilities may include, for example, RF bands (2.4G, 5G, 6G), Number of Spatial Streams (NSS), bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz, 40 MHz, etc.), and a station type (EHT, HE, VHT, or HT STA). The operational parameters can include, for example, Link ID, primary band and operation BW of the link, a required delay from disabled status to enabled status, and a required delay for switching channels.”[0028]), or
(2) the moment of accessing the second link in the full operation mode under consideration of a the switching delay indicating the delay between the initiation of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode and the completion of the initiated switching (NOTE: this is an OR function and does not need to be addressed although current reference will teach this).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of HUANG to include the above recited limitations as taught by HSU3141. The suggestion/motivation would be to reduce power consumption when there is no urgent data to exchange or the amount of traffic in the network is little, or to improve peak throughput and connection stability between wireless devices. (HSU3141; [0004]).
Regarding claim 2, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HSU3141 teaches, The first communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to control at least one of the moment of switching between the full operation mode and the partial operation mode based on a length of the switching delay and/or (2) the moment of accessing the second link in the full operation mode based on the length of the switching delay ( “ AP carrying a required delay 430 of the link switch and switches from the specified link 410 to the target link 425 identified in the request frame 415. Enabled link 410 is disabled and the identified link 425 is enabled after a delay 430”: [0043] ; “ The target channel field 760 has a length of 8 bits and indicates the target channel for performing a channel switch for the target link. Required delay field 765 has a length of 16 bits and indicates the delay required before enabling the target link. Operational BW field 770 has a length of 4 bits and indicates the operating bandwidths of the target link. Primary band field 775 has a length of 4 bits and indicates the primary operating band of the target link. Supported NSS field 780 has a length of 4 bits and indicates the number of spatial streams supported by the target link.”: [0055]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of HUANG to include the above recited limitations as taught by HSU3141. The suggestion/motivation would be to reduce power consumption when there is no urgent data to exchange or the amount of traffic in the network is little, or to improve peak throughput and connection stability between wireless devices. (HSU3141; [0004]).
Regarding claim 3, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, The first communication device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the circuitry is configured to delay switching into the full operation mode on the second link until transmission of a frame that is currently ongoing at the end of the switching delay has been completed (“ a switch delay (switch delay) in response to the link 2 being transited from disable to enable.”: [0123]).
Regarding claim 4, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, , The first communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to at least one of:
(1) at least one of (a) (i) transmit a first part of a frame exchange in the partial operation mode before a switching time of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode or before a completion of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode and transmit a second part of the frame exchange in the full operation mode after the completion of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode or (b) (i) receive the first part of the frame exchange in the partial operation mode before the switching time of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode or before the completion of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode and (ii) receive the second part of the frame exchange in the full operation mode after the completion of switching from the partial operation mode into the full operation mode, or
(2) at least one of (a) transmit, before of the first part of the frame exchange or before receipt of the first part of the frame exchange, allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the second link is allocated to the first and second communication devices for data communication or (b) transmit, after transmission of the first part of the frame exchange or after receipt of the first part of the frame exchange, allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the second link is allocated to the first and second communication devices for data communication :[0041]-[0042], [0069]).
Regarding claim 5, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 4 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, The first communication device as claimed in claim 4, further comprising two antennas, each of the two antennas comprising one or more antenna elements, wherein a first of the two antennas is configured to at least one of (1) transmit with a first linear combination of a first polarization and a second polarization or
(2)receive with the first linear combination ofthe first polarization and the second polarization and a second of the two antennas is configured to at least one of (1) transmit with a second linear combination of the first polarization and the second polarization different from the first linear combination or
(2)receive with the second linear combination of the first polarization and the second polarization different from the first linear combination.
(“a multi-link device with a plurality of antennas (or a plurality of radio frequency modules). A quantity of antennas included in the multi-link device is not limited in at least one embodiment. ”:[0115]; Fig. 10: Antenna: [0259]).
Regarding claim 7, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, The first communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of: _1)the circuitry is configured to - receive a switching request frame in the partial operation mode, the switching request frame indicating that the first communication device shall switch into the full operation mode,- initiate switching into the full operation mode,- receive padding data in the partial operation mode before the switching into the full operation mode is completed, and- transmit a switching confirmation frame in the full operation mode after the switching into the full operation mode has been completed, the circuitry is configured to switch the second link to the full operation mode after receipt of allocation period information on the first link, the allocation period information indicating that the first link is allocated to a third communication device for data communication, and switch the first link to the partial operation mode an advance period before the end of the allocation period, the advance period corresponding to the switching delay or a longer time period. (“In at least one embodiment, the first information of the second link is carried in a link switching response message, a cross-link information report message, a medium access control frame, a response frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link, a beacon frame, a control field of the data frame, or a request frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link that is received on the first link. In at least one embodiment, the first MLD receives first information of the second link on the first link includes: The first MLD receives, on the first link, the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. The first information of the second link is carried in the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. ”:[0018]; “ the first MLD receives a link switching response message, a cross-link information report message, a medium access control frame, or a response frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link on the first link, to obtain the third information of the second link. In at least one embodiment, that the first multi-link device (MLD) receives third information on the first link includes: The first MLD receives, on the first link, the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. The third information of the second link is carried in the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link.
[0053] The request frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link from the first MLD is sent in response to the first MLD changing the mapping relationship between the link and the traffic identifier, so that link statuses of some links need to be transited from a disable/doze state to an enable/awake state. Correspondingly, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link returned by the second MLD indicates whether the second MLD accepts a mapping configuration request between the traffic identifier and the link. Optionally, in response to the second MLD accepting the mapping configuration request, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link includes the third information of the second link. In response to the second MLD not accepting the mapping configuration request, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link does not include the third information of the second link. ”:[0052]-[0053]).
Regarding claim 8, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, , the first communication device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the circuitry is configured to switch, after data reception on the second link is completed, into the partial operation mode on the second link, and transmit acknowledgement information acknowledging receipt of the data on the second link in the partial operation mode, and wherein the acknowledgement information is transmitted with at least one of a lower code rate than a data rate used for reception of the data or more robust modulation than
Regarding claim 9, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, , The first communication device as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the circuitry is configured to at least one of{listen, after switching from the full operation mode into the partial operation mode, for allocation information transmitted by a third communication device, on a link that has been disabled while the first communication device has been in a previous full operation mode, before accessing the link for data transmission, the allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the link is allocated to the third communication device for data communication, or (2 )listen on the second link to allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the first link is allocated to the third communication device for data communication, and wherein the allocation period is longer than the switching delay or longer than a predetermined time period (“ A single-radio multi-link device has a single radio frequency module. Although the single-radio multi-link device works on different frequency bands or channels, the single-radio multi-link device works only on one frequency band or channel at any moment. Therefore, in response to an RSSI (receive signal strength indicator, received signal strength indicator) of a link becoming poor due to movement of the link, the single-radio multi-link device switches from one link to another, for example, from a link deployed on the 5 GHz frequency band to a link deployed on the 2.4 GHz frequency band. As shown in FIG. 3, an assumption is made that the non-AP MLD is a single-radio multi-link device, and the link 1 is in an enable state. In response to a data frame being transmitted on the link 2, the non-AP MLD needs to switch from the link 1 to the link 2. Correspondingly, the link 1 is transited from enable to disable, the link 2 is transited from disable to enable, and the link 3 is always in disable. Because the single-radio multi-link device performs switch between different frequency bands or channels, a related working parameter of the radio frequency module needs to be configured. Therefore, there is a switch delay (switch delay) in response to the link 2 being transited from disable to enable. In addition, in response to the link 2 transmitting the data frame, the STA 2 further needs to obtain a related parameter currently configured by the AP 2 for a BSS corresponding to the link 2. For example, a parameter that is configured by the AP 2 for the BSS corresponding to the link 2 and that is obtained by the STA 2 through the multi-link association response frame shown in FIG. 2 is updated with a current parameter of the BSS configuration of the AP 2, and one or more of parameters shown in Table 1 are updated. Therefore, after the link 2 is transited from disable to enable, the non-AP MLD further needs to correctly receive a beacon (beacon) frame on the link 2. The beacon frame carries the BSS parameter currently configured by the AP 2 for the link 2, so that the data frame is transmitted.”: [0123]; “ on-AP MLD being a multi-link device on a single link, there is a switch delay before the data frame is transmitted by using the link 2; in response to the non-AP MLD being a multi-link device on a plurality of links, there is no switch delay. In addition, in step 104, in response to the non-AP MLD transmitting the data frame by using the link 2, a BSS configuration that is used is the BSS configuration of the link 2 in the non-AP MLD.”{0146])
Regarding claim 10, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, , the first communication device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuitry is configured to at least one of (1) listen, after switching from the full operation mode into the partial operation mode, for allocation information transmitted by a third communication device, on a link that has been disabled while the first communication device has been in a previous full operation mode, before accessing the link for data transmission, the allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the link is allocated to the third communication device for data communication, or
(2 )listen on the second link to allocation information indicating an allocation period for which the first link is allocated to the third communication device for data communication, and wherein the allocation period is longer than the switching delay or longer than a predetermined time period (see fig. 5A: “[0148] As shown in FIG. 5A, because the BSS configuration of the link 2 is not updated, the non-AP MLD directly transmits the data frame on the switched-to link 2, and does not need to transmit the data frame until a beacon frame on the link 2 is received after switching or status transition. According to a processing method shown in FIG. 3 or FIG. 4, a waiting time used before the data frame is transmitted on the link 2 is reduced.
Optionally, after step 103, the non-AP MLD switches to the link 2 or transit the status of the link 2 to the awake/enable state based on the first information of the link 2.
(2) Link Processing Method that the BSS Configuration of the link 2 is Updated
In at least one embodiment, in step 104, in response to the BSS configuration of the link 2 being updated, as shown in FIG. 5B, a difference between the link processing method and the link processing method shown in FIG. 5A lies in that the BSS configuration of the link 2 is updated, and the following steps is performed.
105: The non-AP MLD sends second information to the AP MLD on the link 2. The second information is a sequence number of the BSS configuration, an access point configuration sequence number (AP-CSN), or a check beacon (check beacon) value that identifies the link 2 in the non-AP MLD.
106: The AP MLD receives the second information, and sends, on the link 2 based on the second information, an updated parameter of the BSS configuration of the link 2.
As shown in FIG. 5C, the second information in FIG. 5B is carried in a unicast probe request (probe request) frame on the link 2. Third information is carried in a probe response (probe response) frame on the link 2. At least one embodiment is as follows: The non-AP MLD sends the unicast probe request frame to the AP MLD on the link 2. The unicast probe request frame includes the second information. The non-AP MLD receives the probe response frame from the AP MLD on the link 2. The probe response frame is a simplified probe response frame and includes the updated parameter of the BSS configuration of the link 2. The updated parameter of the BSS configuration of the link 2 is determined by the AP MLD based on the second information.
For example, the AP MLD determines which parameters are updated in the current BSS configuration of the link 2 (that is, the BSS configuration of the link 2 corresponding to the first information) compared with the BSS configuration of the link 2 corresponding to the second information, and returns all updated parameters or updated key parameters in the probe response frame to the non-AP MLD.
107: The non-AP MLD receives the updated parameter of the BSS configuration of the link 2.
Further, the link processing method further includes: The non-AP MLD updates the BSS configuration of the link 2 in the non-AP MLD by using the updated parameter of the BSS configuration of the link 2, and transmits the data frame on the link 2 based on an updated BSS configuration of the link 2. The non-AP MLD further correspondingly updates the sequence number of the BSS configuration/AP-CSN/check beacon value that identifies the link 2.
Correspondingly, in response to the BSS configuration of the link 2 not being updated, step 104 is: The non-AP MLD transmits the data frame on the link 2 by using the BSS configuration of the link 2 in the non-AP MLD. ”:[0148]-[0159]).
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5.
Regarding claim 16 the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7.
Regarding claim 17, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 16 as set forth above. Further, HUANG teaches, The second communication device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the circuitry is configured to at least one of: (1) transmit the padding data as part of the switching request frame, or (2)set the length of the padding data such that it covers at least the switching delay plus a short inter frame space (“In at least one embodiment, the first information of the second link is carried in a link switching response message, a cross-link information report message, a medium access control frame, a response frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link, a beacon frame, a control field of the data frame, or a request frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link that is received on the first link. In at least one embodiment, the first MLD receives first information of the second link on the first link includes: The first MLD receives, on the first link, the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. The first information of the second link is carried in the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. ”:[0018]; “ the first MLD receives a link switching response message, a cross-link information report message, a medium access control frame, or a response frame for negotiating a mapping relationship between a traffic identifier and a link on the first link, to obtain the third information of the second link. In at least one embodiment, that the first multi-link device (MLD) receives third information on the first link includes: The first MLD receives, on the first link, the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link. The third information of the second link is carried in the link switching response message, the cross-link information report message, the medium access control frame, or the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link.
The request frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link from the first MLD is sent in response to the first MLD changing the mapping relationship between the link and the traffic identifier, so that link statuses of some links need to be transited from a disable/doze state to an enable/awake state. Correspondingly, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link returned by the second MLD indicates whether the second MLD accepts a mapping configuration request between the traffic identifier and the link. Optionally, in response to the second MLD accepting the mapping configuration request, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link includes the third information of the second link. In response to the second MLD not accepting the mapping configuration request, the response frame for negotiating the mapping relationship between the traffic identifier and the link does not include the third information of the second link. ”:[0052]-[0053]).
Regarding claim 18, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 13.
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1 or 13.
Claims 6, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUANG in view of HSU3141 and further in view of KIM et al. (US 20230309151 A1; hereinafter as “KIM ”).
Regarding claim 6, HUANG in view of HSU3141 teaches the invention of claim 4 as set forth above. HUANG in view of HSU3141 does not expressively teaches,
The first communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the circuitry is configured to: receive in the full operation mode, after completion of the first part of the frame exchange, a bandwidth change request frame or a ready-to-send, RTS, frame, and transmit in the full operation mode, after receipt of the bandwidth change request frame or after receipt of the RTS frame, a bandwidth change acknowledge frame or a clear-to-send, CTS, frame.
HSU3141, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
The first communication device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the circuitry is configured to: receive in the full operation mode, after completion of the first part of the frame exchange, a bandwidth change request frame or a ready-to-send, RTS, frame, and transmit in the full operation mode, after receipt of the bandwidth change request frame or after receipt of the RTS frame, a bandwidth change acknowledge frame or a clear-to-send, CTS, frame (“FIG. 15 illustrates an operation in which the station performs transmission after the release of channel access prohibition according to an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0184] As described above, transmission is performed in the first link among the plurality of links in which the non-STR multi-link device operates, and thus transmission may be prohibited in the second link. When the corresponding transmission is completed in the first link, transmission in the second link may start by RTS/CTS frame exchange. Accordingly, when transmission is performed in the first link among the plurality of link in which the non-STR multi-link device operates, the non-STR multi-link device may start the RTS/CTS frame exchange in the second link. After the release of channel access prohibition of the station of which transmission is delayed due to channel access prohibition, the station may start request to send (RTS)/clear to send (CTS) frame exchange before starting delayed transmission. At this time, when the station does not receive the CTS frame, the delayed transmission may not start. In the embodiment of FIG. 15(a), the station of which transmission is delayed due to channel access prohibition transmits the RTS frame before starting delayed transmission. The station starts delayed transmission after receiving the CTS frame in response to the RTS frame. ”: [0183]-[0185]; [0341]-[0342]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of HUANG, HSU3141 to include the above recited limitations as taught by KIM. The suggestion/motivation would be to increase data reliability. (KIM; [0004]).
Regarding claim 15 the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 6.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M MOSTAZIR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4785. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm PST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Derrick Ferris can be reached at 571-272-3123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/M Mostazir Rahman/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
Prosecution Insights