DETAILED ACTION
Examiner acknowledges receipt of Applicant’s Request for Continued Examination (RCE) filed 11/21/2025.
In the RCE, Applicant amended claims 1 and 5.
Claims 1, 2, 5, and 6 are currently pending.
Response to Arguments
Examiner has fully considered Applicant's arguments, see pages 5-6, filed 11/21/2025, with respect to the rejection of claim 1, 2, 5, and 6 under 35 U.S.C. 103 but they are not persuasive.
On page 5, Applicant summarizes the references used in the rejection and indicates that this rejection is traversed. On pages 5-6, Applicant highlights the newly amended clause “wherein during a period after transmitting the beacon signal until notifying the terminal apparatus that the data is transmitted, the predetermined link is in a state of being able to transmit data” to distinguish the claims from the Kim and Cariou references. In particular, on page 6, Applicant argues that “Cariou merely discloses that the secondary band transitions to the sleep mode after receiving DL data through reception of a single TIM” and states that in Cariou “it is necessary that the secondary band wakes up through reception of another TIM” to “continuously receive the DL data”. However, these features regarding not requiring “another TIM” to “continuously receiv[e] DL data” are not required in the current claim language. The current claim language is broader than that suggested in these remarks.
The current claims require the predetermined link to be in a state of being able to transmit data until the terminal is “notified” that the data is transmitted. As indicated in the rejection below, Cariou teaches that the terminal receives a notification that the data is transmitted via the “More Data” field being set to zero and then transitions to a doze state (see 15:7-11, for example). Therefore, the current claims are still rendered obvious by the combination of Kim and Cariou.
Claim Objections
Claims 5 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 5, the phrase “during a period after transmitting the beacon signal until notifying the terminal apparatus that the data is transmitted” should be changed so that it references actions performed by the claimed “terminal apparatus”. The actions “transmitting the beacon signal” and “notifying the terminal apparatus” are performed by the base station.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, 5, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US 2023/0224814) in view of Cariou et al (US 10,609,647).
Regarding claim 1: Kim discloses a base station configured to communicate with a terminal apparatus, the base station comprising:
a first wireless signal processing circuit configured to establish a first link with the terminal apparatus (see AP1 1711 of Figure 8, for example, which transmits and receives a wireless signal using a first channel (link 1));
a second wireless signal processing circuit configured to establish a second link with the terminal apparatus, the second link differing from the first link (see AP2 1712 of Figure 8, for example, which transmits and receives a wireless signal using a second channel (link 2)); and
processing circuitry configured to transmit data via a multi-link comprising the first link and the second link (see processor 111 of Figure 1, for example; further, a multilink is established (setup) as described in [0125]-[0132], for example), and associate the data with at least one of the first link or the second link based on a type of traffic information of the data (disclosed throughout; see [0129]-[0130], for example, which discloses that the data is associated by type (frame type, TID value, or access category) with at least one of the first or second links (each frame type and TID is indicated as available/preferred in at least one of the links)), wherein
if the terminal apparatus is in a state of not being able to receive the data via a link associated with the data (disclosed throughout; see [0158]-[016], for example, which discusses anchored and non-anchored links; as indicated in [0160], the “anchored links should always maintain the enabled state” and “the state corresponding to the non-anchored link (or the STA connected to the non-anchored link) may enter a doze”; thus, the multi-link may be in at least a first state (where the anchored link is active/enabled and the non-anchored link is also active/enabled) or a second state (where the anchored link is active/enabled and the non-anchored link is in a doze mode); see also Figure 24, which illustrates this in the two states for link 2 (the first state being when STA 2 is awake and the second state being when STA 2 is in doze mode); the claimed state is mapped to the second state (when a second link is in a doze mode)), the processing circuitry is further configured to:
accumulate the data (disclosed throughout; see [0188]-[0189], which indicates that “In a frame transmitted by the MLD, an indication indicating the presence or absence of buffer data of other STAs is included in the transmission method.” and “when the STA of the non-AP MLD is in the doze state, if the non-AP MLD (that is, another STA of the non-AP MLD including the STA) receives a DL frame from the AP MLD, and the indication indicates that there is buffer data for the STA, the STA may transition to the awake state”; clearly, the data is accumulated (buffered)).
Kim does not explicitly disclose the entirety of the limitations: transmit a beacon signal to the terminal apparatus using at least one of the first link or the second link, the beacon signal including information designating a predetermined link to be used for acquiring the data; and cause either the first wireless signal processing circuit or the second wireless signal processing circuit that operates on the predetermined link to transmit the data. However, as noted above, Kim (in at least [0188]-[0189]) discloses transmitting a signal to the terminal apparatus using at least one of the first link or the second link (the indication in the DL frame received by the “another STA” of the non-AP MLD and on the link associated with this “another STA”) designating a predetermined link to be used for acquiring the data (the link associated with the STA in the doze state). Kim then discloses that the STA may transition to the awake state. Further, see [0330] and Figure 24, which indicates that upon transitioning to the awake state, the buffered data is transmitted to the STA that had been in the doze state (“the STA 2 which has received the awake information about itself may immediately awake and receive DL data from the AP 2”). That is, the teaching of Kim differs from the above limitation in that Kim does not explicitly disclose indicating the buffered data using a beacon signal.
However, Cariou discloses a similar system using multi-link. In Cariou, a separate beacon/TIM may be used on a primary link to indicate traffic to be transmitted/received on a second link (see Figure 8, for example). As indicated in the Figure, this beacon/TIM “triggers transition from sleep mode to active mode” on this second link. As indicated in 14:29-31, “[t]he STA receives a beacon in the primary band with the multi-band TIM element indicating buffered data for the STA” and in 14:22-25, “the TIM element can be modified to contain multi-band TIM information (e.g. an explicit indication of the secondary or active mode band on which to receive the buffered data)”. Thus, the beacon/TIM indicates a predetermined link to be used for acquiring data (the explicit indication of the secondary band on which to receive the buffered data). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kim to use a beacon/TIM to indicate to the terminal that buffered data for the second band is ready to be transmitted. The rationale for doing so would have been to enable the AP to indicate this information regarding data buffered for the second link in a situation where there is not data to be transmitted to the first link (where the indication in Kim is included). This provides flexibility in the scheduling of data on the second link to multiple situations.
The above combination further discloses the limitation wherein during a period after transmitting the beacon signal until notifying the terminal apparatus that the data is transmitted, the predetermined link is in a state of being able to transmit data. As indicated in Figure 8 of Cariou, for example, the secondary link transitions to the awake state during the period starting with the beacon signal and ending when the terminal receives the data as indicated in 808 of Figure 8. See 15:7-11, for example, which indicates that “[w]hen the STA successfully receives the buffered packets on the secondary band and the last buffered packet having the More Data field is set to zero, the STA may automatically transition to doze state ( or deep sleep state) in this band”. The last buffered packet with the “More Data” field set to zero is interpreted to notify the terminal that the data is transmitted.
Regarding claim 5: Kim discloses a terminal apparatus configured to communicate with a base station, the terminal apparatus comprising:
a first wireless signal processing circuit configured to establish a first link with the base station (see STA1 1721 of Figure 8, for example, which transmits and receives a wireless signal using a first channel (link 1));
a second wireless signal processing circuit configured to establish a second link with the base station, the second link differing from the first link (see processor 111 of Figure 1, for example; further, a multilink is established (setup) as described in [0125]-[0132], for example); and
processing circuitry configured to transmit data via a multi-link comprising the first link and the second link (see processor 111 of Figure 1, for example; further, a multilink is established (setup) as described in [0125]-[0132], for example), and associate the data with at least one of the first link or the second link based on a type of traffic information of the data (disclosed throughout; see [0129]-[0130], for example, which discloses that the data is associated by type (frame type, TID value, or access category) with at least one of the first or second links (each frame type and TID is indicated as available/preferred in at least one of the links)), wherein
if the terminal apparatus is in a state of not being able to receive the data via a link associated with the data (disclosed throughout; see [0158]-[016], for example, which discusses anchored and non-anchored links; as indicated in [0160], the “anchored links should always maintain the enabled state” and “the state corresponding to the non-anchored link (or the STA connected to the non-anchored link) may enter a doze”; thus, the multi-link may be in at least a first state (where the anchored link is active/enabled and the non-anchored link is also active/enabled) or a second state (where the anchored link is active/enabled and the non-anchored link is in a doze mode); see also Figure 24, which illustrates this in the two states for link 2 (the first state being when STA 2 is awake and the second state being when STA 2 is in doze mode); the claimed state is mapped to the second state (when a second link is in a doze mode)), the base station accumulates the data (disclosed throughout; see [0188]-[0189], which indicates that “In a frame transmitted by the MLD, an indication indicating the presence or absence of buffer data of other STAs is included in the transmission method.” and “when the STA of the non-AP MLD is in the doze state, if the non-AP MLD (that is, another STA of the non-AP MLD including the STA) receives a DL frame from the AP MLD, and the indication indicates that there is buffer data for the STA, the STA may transition to the awake state”; clearly, the data is accumulated (buffered)).
Kim does not explicitly disclose the entirety of the limitations: receive a beacon signal using at least one of the first link or the second link, the beacon signal including information designating a predetermined link to be used for acquiring the data, and cause either the first wireless signal processing unit or the second wireless signal processing unit that operates on the predetermined link to acquire the data. However, as noted above, Kim (in at least [0188]-[0189]) discloses transmitting a signal to the terminal apparatus using at least one of the first link or the second link (the indication in the DL frame received by the “another STA” of the non-AP MLD and on the link associated with this “another STA”) designating a predetermined link to be used for acquiring the data (the link associated with the STA in the doze state). Kim then discloses that the STA may transition to the awake state. Further, see [0330] and Figure 24, which indicates that upon transitioning to the awake state, the buffered data is transmitted to the STA that had been in the doze state (“the STA 2 which has received the awake information about itself may immediately awake and receive DL data from the AP 2”). That is, the teaching of Kim differs from the above limitation in that Kim does not explicitly disclose indicating the buffered data using a beacon signal.
However, Cariou discloses a similar system using multi-link. In Cariou, a separate beacon/TIM may be used on a primary link to indicate traffic to be transmitted/received on a second link (see Figure 8, for example). As indicated in the Figure, this beacon/TIM “triggers transition from sleep mode to active mode” on this second link. As indicated in 14:29-31, “[t]he STA receives a beacon in the primary band with the multi-band TIM element indicating buffered data for the STA” and in 14:22-25, “the TIM element can be modified to contain multi-band TIM information (e.g. an explicit indication of the secondary or active mode band on which to receive the buffered data)”. Thus, the beacon/TIM indicates a predetermined link to be used for acquiring data (the explicit indication of the secondary band on which to receive the buffered data). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kim to use a beacon/TIM to indicate to the terminal that buffered data for the second band is ready to be transmitted. The rationale for doing so would have been to enable the AP to indicate this information regarding data buffered for the second link in a situation where there is not data to be transmitted to the first link (where the indication in Kim is included). This provides flexibility in the scheduling of data on the second link to multiple situations.
The above combination further discloses the limitation wherein during a period after transmitting the beacon signal until notifying the terminal apparatus that the data is transmitted, the predetermined link is in a state of being able to transmit data. As indicated in Figure 8 of Cariou, for example, the secondary link transitions to the awake state during the period starting with the beacon signal and ending when the terminal receives the data as indicated in 808 of Figure 8. See 15:7-11, for example, which indicates that “[w]hen the STA successfully receives the buffered packets on the secondary band and the last buffered packet having the More Data field is set to zero, the STA may automatically transition to doze state ( or deep sleep state) in this band”. The last buffered packet with the “More Data” field set to zero is interpreted to notify the terminal that the data is transmitted.
Regarding claims 2 and 6: Kim, modified, discloses the limitations of parent claims 1 and 5 as indicated above. Kim does not explicitly disclose the limitations that the beacon signal includes information indicating whether or not a piece of data that is designated to the first link among the data has been accumulated, and information indicating whether or not a piece of data that is designated to the second link among the data has been accumulated. However, Cariou discloses this in the ”New TIM” which is also described as an “extended multi band TIM format” (see 13:61). As described in 16:1-13, this extended TIM both “indicates the presence of buffered data in the current band (i.e. The band on which the TIM/DTIM is sent” as well as “”a field indicating the band on which the data indicated in the multi-band TIM/DTIM will be delivered. There may be a multi-band TIM/DTIM for each band”. Thus, the beacon/TIM indicate with whether a piece of data designated for the first link has been accumulated and whether a piece of data designated for the second link has been accumulated. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kim to use a beacon/TIM to indicate to the terminal that buffered data for the first and/or second bands is ready to be transmitted. The rationale for doing so would have been to enable the AP to indicate this information regarding data buffered for the second link in a situation where there is not data to be transmitted to the first link (where the indication in Kim is included), but also allows the same structure to be used when data is to be transmitted on both links simultaneously. This provides flexibility in the scheduling of data on the second link to multiple situations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert C Scheibel whose telephone number is (571)272-3169. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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Robert C. Scheibel
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2467
/Robert C Scheibel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467 December 30, 2025