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 .
Response to Amendment
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 07/16/2026.
Claims 44, 53, and 61-62 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 44 and 53 filed on 07/16/2026 have been considered but are moot because the arguments related solely to newly added limitations addressed in the instant Office Action with newly identified prior art (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20210120548, hereinafter “Chen”), thus rendering applicant’s arguments moot.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 44-49, 53-59, 63, and 64 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20210120548, hereinafter “Chen”, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/985,422, filed on March 5, 2020) in view of Verma et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200374062, hereinafter “Verma”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to Chen unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independent claims
Regarding claim 44, Chen teaches A method implemented by a sharing access point (Fig. 4: AP1, para [0020]: where one AP obtains a TXOP (i.e., the sharing AP) and shares its frequency/time resources with some other APs (i.e., the shared APs).) in a wireless communication network of controlling wireless transmissions in the wireless communication system, the method comprising:
contending for access to a medium (para [0038]: In order to obtain a TXOP, a device may contend for that transmission such that the device is able to transmit frames during that time period.);
in response to gaining access to the medium, reserving a transmission opportunity, TXOP, on the medium (Fig. 4 and para [0079]: FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative schematic diagram for multi-AP resource sharing…) (para [0117]: At block 704… The device may acquire the first TXOP for transmitting one or more frames associated with the data.); (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4 of Chen, Sharing AP1 has acquired a Transmission Opportunity, TXOP1). Fig. 4 of Chen is reproduced herein below. (see Fig. 3 of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/985,422)
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cooperating with one or more shared access points of the wireless communication system by sharing the TXOP based on spatial reuse of at least some radio resources of the TXOP for transmission of multiple physical protocol data units, PPDUs, by each of the access points; (para [0020]: where one AP obtains a TXOP (i.e., the sharing AP) and shares its frequency/time resources with some other APs (i.e., the shared APs).) (para [0028]: Multi-AP transmission is a key 802.11be feature in which a transmit opportunity (TXOP) owner access point (AP), referred to as sharing AP, can share its TXOP with other APs, referred to as shared APs, by transmitting a coordinated announcement (CoA) frame. In particular, in the TDMA flavor of this feature, the sharing AP allocates its entire bandwidth (BW) to one or more shared APs instead of allocating separate frequency segments to different APs. During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit downlink (DL) physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and solicit uplink (UL) PPDUs.) (Fig. 4 and para [0079]: FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative schematic diagram for multi-AP resource sharing…) (para [0117]: At block 704… The device may share the first TXOP with a candidate AP of the coordinated set of APs based on a threshold value associated with the TXOP. The device may determine a percentage of a total time and frequency resources of the first TXOP to be shared with the candidate AP…) (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4 of Chen, Sharing AP1 uses a 1st period of TXOP1, Sharing AP1 is sharing a 2nd period of TXOP1 with Shared AP2, and is sharing a 3rd period of TXOP1 with Shared AP3.) See Fig. 4 of Chean.
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coordinating the transmission of at least one PPDU of a shared access point so that the start and/or end of the PPDU transmission is not time-aligned with the start and/or end of any PPDU transmission from the sharing AP (para [0028]: During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit downlink (DL) physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and solicit uplink (UL) PPDUs.)) (para [0084]: The sharing AP shall always use the frequency/time resources reserved for itself in its obtained TXOP.) (para [0119]:… the shared APs can directly go ahead with their transmissions in their allocated TXOP resources.) (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4, the start and/or end of the 2nd period used by shared AP2 for PPDU transmission and the start and/or end of the 3rd period used by shared AP3 for PPDU transmission are not time-aligned with the start and/or end of the 1st period of TXOP1 used by sharing AP1 for PPDU transmission. Therefore, as described in para [0028]: “During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit… PPDUs” and para [0119]: “the shared APs can directly go ahead with their transmissions in their allocated TXOP resources.”, Chen clearly discloses the “coordinating the transmission of at least one PPDU of a shared access point so that the start and/or end of the PPDU transmission is not time-aligned with the start and/or end of any PPDU transmission from the sharing AP”.); and
However, Chen fails to explicitly disclose:
coordinating transmissions of acknowledgment information for each of the multiple PPDUs within the TXOP to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information.
In analogous art, Verma discloses:
coordinating transmissions of acknowledgment information for each of the multiple PPDUs within the TXOP to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information (Fig. 11 and para [0140] of Verma: Between times t6 and t7, one or more wireless devices associated with AP1 receives PPDU1_AP1, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an acknowledgement (ACK) frame to AP1 at time t7. Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1) … ) (para [0142] of Verma: Between times t8 and t9, one or more wireless devices associated with AP1 receives PPDU2_AP1, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP1 at time t9. Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU2_AP2 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t9. And one or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU2_AP3 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t9. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a second coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX2).)
Examiner’s note: The phrase “to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information” is interpreted as a statement of intended use or purpose that does not impart patentable weight to the claim.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the method of Chen to include the coordinated acknowledgment transmission scheme of Verma. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so to prevent signal collisions between data frames and acknowledgment frames within the shared TXOP, thereby ensuring reliable spatial reuse operations and improving overall network efficiency.
Regarding claim 53, Chen teaches A method implemented by a shared access point (Fig. 4: AP2 or AP3 (interpreted as “shared AP”)) of the wireless communication system of controlling wireless transmissions in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
contending for access to a medium (para [0038]: In order to obtain a TXOP, a device may contend for that transmission such that the device is able to transmit frames during that time period.);
in response to a sharing access point of the wireless communication system gaining access to the medium and reserving a transmission opportunity, TXOP, on the medium (Fig. 4 and para [0079]: FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative schematic diagram for multi-AP resource sharing…) (para [0117]: At block 704… The device may acquire the first TXOP for transmitting one or more frames associated with the data.); (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4 of Chen, Sharing AP1 has acquired a Transmission Opportunity, TXOP1). Fig. 4 of Chen is reproduced herein below.
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, cooperating with the sharing access point by sharing the TXOP based on spatial reuse of at least some radio resources of the TXOP for transmission of multiple physical protocol data units, PPDUs, by each of the access points (para [0028]: Multi-AP transmission is a key 802.11be feature in which a transmit opportunity (TXOP) owner access point (AP), referred to as sharing AP, can share its TXOP with other APs, referred to as shared APs, by transmitting a coordinated announcement (CoA) frame. In particular, in the TDMA flavor of this feature, the sharing AP allocates its entire bandwidth (BW) to one or more shared APs instead of allocating separate frequency segments to different APs. During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit downlink (DL) physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and solicit uplink (UL) PPDUs.) (Fig. 4 and para [0079]: FIG. 4 depicts an illustrative schematic diagram for multi-AP resource sharing…) (para [0117]: At block 704… The device may share the first TXOP with a candidate AP of the coordinated set of APs based on a threshold value associated with the TXOP. The device may determine a percentage of a total time and frequency resources of the first TXOP to be shared with the candidate AP…) (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4 of Chen, Sharing AP1 uses a 1st period of TXOP1, Sharing AP1 is sharing a 2nd period of TXOP1 with Shared AP2, and is sharing a 3rd period of TXOP1 with Shared AP3.) See Fig. 4 of Chean.
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;
coordinating at least one PPDU transmission from the shared access point with the sharing AP so that the start and/or end of the PPDU transmission from the shared access point is not time-aligned with the start and/or end of any PPDU transmission from the sharing access point (para [0028]: During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit downlink (DL) physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) and solicit uplink (UL) PPDUs.)) (para [0084]: The sharing AP shall always use the frequency/time resources reserved for itself in its obtained TXOP.) (para [0119]:… the shared APs can directly go ahead with their transmissions in their allocated TXOP resources.) (Examiner’s note: As illustrated in Fig. 4, the start and/or end of the 2nd period used by shared AP2 for PPDU transmission and the start and/or end of the 3rd period used by shared AP3 for PPDU transmission are not time-aligned with the start and/or end of the 1st period of TXOP1 used by sharing AP1 for PPDU transmission. Therefore, as described in para [0028]: “During an allocated TXOP, the shared APs can transmit… PPDUs” and para [0119]: “the shared APs can directly go ahead with their transmissions in their allocated TXOP resources.”, Chen clearly discloses the “coordinating at least one PPDU transmission from the shared access point with the sharing AP so that the start and/or end of the PPDU transmission from the shared access point is not time-aligned with the start and/or end of any PPDU transmission from the sharing access point”.); and
Chen fails to explicitly teach
for each of the PPDUs transmitted by the access point, coordinating transmission of acknowledgement information for the PPDU within the TXOP with transmission of acknowledgement information for the PPDUs transmitted by the other access point to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information.
In analogous art, Verma discloses:
for each of the PPDUs transmitted by the access point, coordinating transmission of acknowledgement information for the PPDU within the TXOP with transmission of acknowledgement information for the PPDUs transmitted by the other access point to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information (Fig. 11 and para [0140] of Verma: Between times t6 and t7, one or more wireless devices associated with AP1 receives PPDU1_AP1, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an acknowledgement (ACK) frame to AP1 at time t7. Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1) … ) (para [0142] of Verma: Between times t8 and t9, one or more wireless devices associated with AP1 receives PPDU2_AP1, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP1 at time t9. Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU2_AP2 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t9. And one or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU2_AP3 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t9. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a second coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX2).)
Examiner’s note: The phrase “to avoid interference between the transmissions of the PPDUs and the transmissions of the acknowledgement information” is interpreted as a statement of intended use or purpose that does not impart patentable weight to the claim.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the method of Chen to include the coordinated acknowledgment transmission scheme of Verma. A person of ordinary skill would have been motivated to do so to prevent signal collisions between data frames and acknowledgment frames within the shared TXOP, thereby ensuring reliable spatial reuse operations and improving overall network efficiency.
Regarding claim 63, it is an access point claim corresponding to the method claim 44, except limitations “communication circuitry for communicating over a wireless communication medium” and “processing circuitry operatively connected with configured to:” (See Fig. 8 and paragraphs [0121]-[0122]: FIG. 8 illustrates a functional block diagram of a communication station that may be suitable for use as an AP 102 (FIG. 1)… The communication station 800 may include communications circuitry 802 and a transceiver 810 for transmitting and receiving signals to and from other communication stations using one or more antennas 801… The communication station 800 may also include processing circuitry 806 and memory 808 arranged to perform the operations described herein.) and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 44.
Regarding claim 64, it is an access point claim corresponding to the method claim 53, except limitations “communication circuitry for communicating over a wireless communication medium” and “processing circuitry operatively connected with configured to:” (See Fig. 8 and paragraphs [0121]- [0122]) and is therefore rejected for the similar reasons set forth in the rejection of claim 53.
With respect to dependent claims:
Regarding claim 45, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 44, further comprising: Verma further teaches
providing control information to the one or more shared access points, wherein the control information coordinates the transmissions of the acknowledgment information for each of the multiple PPDUs within the TXOP by:
(para [0134] of Verma: In some implementations, AP1 transmits a frame 1121 indicating the width and location of the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated to AP2 and AP3 (interpreted as “control information”). The indication frame 1121 may also indicate the number of spatial streams to be used by each of AP2 and AP3 for DL transmissions during the coordinated access point transmission session. In addition, or in the alternative, the indication frame 1121 may indicate the duration of TXOP associated with the coordinated access point transmission session.) (para [0130] of Verma: Between times t3 and t4, each of AP2 and AP3 receive and decode the indication frame 1121 to determine the width and location of the frequency bandwidth portions allocated by AP1 for coordinated access point transmissions during the TXOP, to determine the (maximum) number of spatial streams to be used for DL transmissions during the TXOP, to determine the duration of the TXOP, or any combination thereof. In some implementations, the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated by AP1 may include one or more of resource units, a primary channel, or a secondary channel.)
scheduling the transmissions of the acknowledgement information on radio resources of the TXOP which are distinct from radio resources assigned for transmission of the PPDUs (para [0140] of Verma: Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1).). (para [0141] of Verma: In some implementations, the transmission of each of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 also ends at the same time (at least substantially the same time), for example, such that any acknowledgements of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 are transmitted concurrently from corresponding receiving devices.); or
scheduling transmissions of the acknowledgement information to different ones of the sharing access point and the one or more further access points on radio resources of the TXOP which are time-aligned with respect to each other (para [0134] of Verma: In some implementations, AP1 transmits a frame 1121 indicating the width and location of the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated to AP2 and AP3 (interpreted as “control information”). The indication frame 1121 may also indicate the number of spatial streams to be used by each of AP2 and AP3 for DL transmissions during the coordinated access point transmission session. In addition, or in the alternative, the indication frame 1121 may indicate the duration of TXOP associated with the coordinated access point transmission session.) (para [0140] of Verma: Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1).). (para [0141] of Verma: In some implementations, the transmission of each of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 also ends at the same time (at least substantially the same time), for example, such that any acknowledgements of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 are transmitted concurrently from corresponding receiving devices.).
Regarding claim 46, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 45, wherein: Verma further teaches
for a first set of the PPDUs, the control information schedules transmissions of the acknowledgement information to the respective access point on first radio resources of the TXOP which are time-aligned with respect to each other (para [0140] of Verma: Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 (interpreted as “a first set of the PPDUs”) and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1).) (para [0141] of Verma: In some implementations, the transmission of each of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 also ends at the same time (at least substantially the same time), for example, such that any acknowledgements of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 are transmitted concurrently from corresponding receiving devices.)
for a second set of the PPDUs, the control information schedules transmissions of the acknowledgement information to the respective access point on second radio resources of the TXOP which are time-aligned with respect to each other (para [0142] of Verma: Between times t8 and t9, one or more wireless devices associated with AP1 receives PPDU2_AP1, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP1 at time t9. Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU2_AP2 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t9. And one or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU2_AP3 between times t8 and t9, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t9. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a second coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX2). (Examiner’s note: the transmission of the second MU DL data units PPDU2_AP1, PPDU2_AP2, and PPDU2_AP3 (interpreted as “a second set of the PPDUs”) as shown in Fig. 11 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a second coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX2).).
Regarding claim 47, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 46, Verma further teaches wherein an end time of the first radio resources is before transmission of the second set of PPDUs (see Fig. 11 of Verma, the end time of CAP TX1 is before transmission (‘time t8 ’) of the second set of PPDUs (‘PPDU2_AP1, PPDU2_AP2, and PPDU2_AP3’).
Regarding claim 48, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 45, wherein: Verma further teaches …
the control information schedules the transmissions of the acknowledgement information after the transmission of the PPDUs in the TXOP (para [0129] of Verma: In some implementations, AP1 transmits a frame 1121 indicating the width and location of the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated to AP2 and AP3 (interpreted as “control information”). The indication frame 1121 may also indicate the number of spatial streams to be used by each of AP2 and AP3 for DL transmissions during the coordinated access point transmission session. In addition, or in the alternative, the indication frame 1121 may indicate the duration of TXOP associated with the coordinated access point transmission session.) (para [0140] of Verma: Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1).). (para [0141] of Verma: In some implementations, the transmission of each of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 also ends at the same time (at least substantially the same time), for example, such that any acknowledgements of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 are transmitted concurrently from corresponding receiving devices.)
Regarding claim 49, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 45, Verma further teaches wherein at least a part of the control information is transmitted in a message for coordinating the sharing of the TXOP by the access points (para [0129] of Verma: In some implementations, AP1 transmits a frame 1121 indicating the width and location of the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated to AP2 and AP3 (interpreted as “control information”). The indication frame 1121 may also indicate the number of spatial streams to be used by each of AP2 and AP3 for DL transmissions during the coordinated access point transmission session. In addition, or in the alternative, the indication frame 1121 may indicate the duration of TXOP associated with the coordinated access point transmission session.).
Regarding claim 54, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 53, further comprising: Verma further teaches
receiving control information from the sharing access point (para [0129] of Verma: In some implementations, AP1 transmits a frame 1121 indicating the width and location of the corresponding portions of the frequency bandwidth allocated to AP2 and AP3 (interpreted as “control information”). The indication frame 1121 may also indicate the number of spatial streams to be used by each of AP2 and AP3 for DL transmissions during the coordinated access point transmission session. In addition, or in the alternative, the indication frame 1121 may indicate the duration of TXOP associated with the coordinated access point transmission session.); and
based on the control information, coordinating the transmission of acknowledgment information for the PPDU within the TXOP with transmission of acknowledgement information for the PPDUs transmitted by the sharing access point (para [0140] of Verma: Similarly, one or more wireless devices associated with AP2 receives PPDU1_AP2 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP2 at time t7. One or more wireless devices associated with AP3 receives PPDU1_AP3 between times t6 and t7, and each of those receiving wireless devices transmits an ACK frame to AP3 at time t7. In some aspects, the transmission of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 and their corresponding ACK frames may correspond to a first coordinated access point transmission (CAP TX1).). (para [0141] of Verma: In some implementations, the transmission of each of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 also ends at the same time (at least substantially the same time), for example, such that any acknowledgements of the first MU DL protocol data units PPDU1_AP1, PPDU1_AP2, and PPDU1_AP3 are transmitted concurrently from corresponding receiving devices.).
Regarding claim 55, Claim 55 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 45, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 45.
Regarding claim 56, Claim 56 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 46, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 46.
Regarding claim 57, Claim 57 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 47, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 47.
Regarding claim 58, Claim 58 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 48, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 48.
Regarding claim 59, Claim 59 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 49, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 49.
Claim(s) 51 and 61 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Verma, and further in view of Seok et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20200245352, hereinafter “Seok”).
Regarding claim 51, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 44, Chen and Verma fail to explicitly teach wherein transmissions of the acknowledgement information by different access points share radio resources of the TXOP based on orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing.
In analogous art, Seok discloses that, in para [0011] of Seok, the second wireless AP schedules the RU using a Coordinated OFDMA Announcement (COA) control frame. Seok further5 discloses that, in para [0067] of Seok, the coordinator AP allocates the bandwidths, lengths, and additional TXVECTOR parameters for DL and UL transmission. The allocation can be announced using a Coordinated OFDMA Announcement (COA) control frame sent to one or more coordinated APs.
Chen, Verma and Seok are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of coordinated data transmissions from multiple access points. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify the combination of Chen and Verma by using the features of Seok in order to have more effective method such that "the coordinator AP allocates the bandwidths, lengths, and additional TXVECTOR parameters for DL and UL transmission. The allocation can be announced using a Coordinated OFDMA Announcement (COA) control frame sent to one or more coordinated APs”.
Regarding claim 61, Claim 61 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 51, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 51.
Claim(s) 52 and 62 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Verma, and further in view of “Coordinated Spatial Reuse: Focus on Downlink”, Han J, et al. Internet document IEEE 802.11-20/0590r2 (server date: 2020-07-16)(included in Applicant’s IDS submitted on 03/08/2023)(hereinafter “Han”).
Regarding claim 52, Chen and Verma teach The method according to claim 44, Chen and Verma fail to explicitly teach wherein time-aligned transmissions of the acknowledgement information to different access points share radio resources of the TXOP based on spatial reuse or spatial reuse with transmit power control.
In analogous art, Han discloses that:
Slide 5: 3. Transmission phase: after the potential shared AP obtains the shared TXOP,
-If an AP receives the announcement frame successfully and is willing to participate in the C-SR transmission, the AP becomes a shared AP,
- Shared AP’s action list:
Set Tx power based on the guide obtained from the announcement frame, - `C-SR transmissions (including block acknowledgement) of the sharing/shared APs occur simultaneously in the shared TXOP
- Assumption: start/end time of C-SR transmissions are aligned).
`` (Examiner’s note: See slide 6, AP1 and AP2, time-aligned transmissions of the BAs to AP 1 and AP2 share radio resources of the TXOP based on spatial reuse or spatial reuse with transmit power control)
Chen, Verma and Han are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of coordinated data transmissions from multiple access points. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of instant application to modify the combination of Chen and Verma by using the features of Han in order to have more effective method such that "time-aligned transmissions of the acknowledgement information to different access points share radio resources of the TXOP based on spatial reuse or spatial reuse with transmit power control.
Regarding claim 62, Claim 62 has similar limitation as of Claim(s) 52, therefore it is rejected under the same reasons as Claim(s) 52.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 50 and 60 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The claims contain the following underlined features which, when combined with other features of the claim, prior art of record failed to anticipate or render obvious before the effective filing date of the instant application was filed:
“wherein the transmissions of the acknowledgement information are triggered by a message after the transmission of the PPDUs in the TXOP.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WON JUN CHOI whose telephone number is (703)756-1695. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FRI 08:00 - 17:00.
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/WON JUN CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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