DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/031,468 filed on 04/12/2023 is presented for examination by the examiner.
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-7 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Das et al. (Pub. No. US 2020/0169841 A1 hereinafter Das) in view of Lim et al. (Pub. No. US 2022/0345343 A1 hereinafter Lim).
Regarding claim 1, Das teaches “an apparatus of a next generation vehicle-to-everything (NGV) station (STA), the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry; and memory,” as [(Para. 0070), The IEEE 802.11 protocol may be IEEE 802.11 next generation …. (Para. 0223), Example 16 is an apparatus of an initiating station (ISTA), the apparatus comprising memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory] “wherein when operating as an initiating station (ISTA) for performing non-trigger-based NGV ranging, the processing circuitry is configured to: encode an NGV ranging null-data packet (NDP) announcement (NGV NDPA) frame for transmission to a responding station (RSTA) to initiate the non-trigger-based NGV ranging;” [(Para. 0132), FIG. 13 illustrates a method 1300 of TB ranging, in accordance with some embodiments. The method 1300 begins at operation 1302 with encoding a TF for transmission to ISTAs, the TF indicating RUs for the ISTAs to transmit UL NDPs frames to the RSTA] “and encode an initiator-to-responder (I2R) NGV ranging null-data packet (NDP) (I2R NGV ranging NDP) for transmission following the NGV NDPA frame,” [(Para. 0150), The method 1500 continues at operation 1554 with the ISTA 1502 transmitting I2R NDP 1516 in accordance with the NDPA 1512 to the RSTA 1504…. (Para. 0168), The NDPA frame 1512 can include one or both of TX power for I2R NDP 2002 and SINR of R2I NDP 2004. The Tx power for I2R NDP subfield 2002 indicates the Tx power level in dB for I2R NDP following the NDPA frame 1512] “the I2R NGV ranging NDP encoded in accordance with a NGV Ranging NDP format,” [(Para. 0149), The NDPA 1512 may include a STA info 1 912.1 that indicates space time streams that the I2R NDP 1516 will be transmitted on to the RSTA 1504.] “and wherein the memory is configured to store the number of spatial streams” [(Para. 0135), The method 1300 continues at operation 1306 with encoding a NDPA frame, the NDPA frame comprising indications of the ISTAs and spatial streams for DL NDP frames to be transmitted to the ISTAs… (Para. 0223), Example 16 is an apparatus of an initiating station (ISTA), the apparatus comprising memory].
However, Das does not specifically disclose the NGV ranging NDP encoded to include an NGV signal field (NGV-SIG), a repeated NGV-SIG (RNGV-SIG), an NGV Short Training field (NGV-STF) and an NGV long training field (NGV-LTF), wherein the NGV-LTF is configurable to include one or two sets of LTF symbols depending on a number of LTF symbol repetitions, wherein each set of LTF symbols have one or two LTF symbols depending on a number of spatial streams, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to set a predetermined bit in the NGV-SIG to a predetermined value to indicate that that the NGV Ranging NDP is an NGV Ranging NDP with NGV-LTF repetition.
In an analogous art, Lim teaches “the NGV ranging NDP encoded to include an NGV signal field (NGV-SIG), a repeated NGV-SIG (RNGV-SIG), an NGV Short Training field (NGV-STF) and an NGV long training field (NGV-LTF),” as [(Para, 0275), the preamble of the NGV PPDU may include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, NGV-SIG, RNGV-SIG, NGV-STF, and/or NGV-LTF.] “wherein the NGV-LTF is configurable to include one or two sets of LTF symbols depending on a number of LTF symbol repetitions,” [(Para. 0323-0325), the LTF signal may be generated based on the LTF sequence, and the LTF signal may constitute the midamble. The LTF signal may be called variously. For example, the LTF signal may be referred to as an LTF or an LTF symbol. Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the LTF signal (e.g., NGV-LTF signal) may be described as LTF (e.g., NGV-LTF). As an example, the 1x-LTF signal may be described as 1x-LTF… For example, the midamble and the NGV-LTF may be configured based on the same LTF (or LTF sequence) for transmission. For example, the midamble may be configured based on the 1x-LTF (or 1x-LTF sequence), and the NGV-LTF may be configured based on the same 1x-LTF (or 1x-LTF sequence)… As another example, the midamble may be configured based on a sequence different from that of the NGV-LTF for transmission. As an example, the NGV-LTF may be configured based on the 1x-LTF (or 1x-LTF sequence), and the midamble may be configured based on the 2x-LTF (or 2x-LTF sequence)] “wherein each set of LTF symbols have one or two LTF symbols depending on a number of spatial streams,” [(Paraa. 0292), As another example, the NGV-LTF-1x format may be used for high-efficiency transmission of one spatial stream. As yet another example, the repeated NGV-LTF-2x format may be used for extended range transmissions.] “wherein the processing circuitry is configured to set a predetermined bit in the NGV-SIG to a predetermined value to indicate that that the NGV Ranging NDP is an NGV Ranging NDP with NGV-LTF repetition,” [(Para. 0291), The NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one LTF format. For example, the NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one of an NGV-LTF-1x format, an NGV-LTF-2x format, or a repeated NGV-LTF-2x format. Information related to the LTF format that is used in the NGV-LTF 2380 may be included in the NGV-SIG 2350.].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings as in Das to provide an effective technique as taught by Lim for transmitting information related to a packet extension field in a wireless LAN system, and more particularly, to a method for configuring a packet extension field of an NGV PPDU and transmitting duration information of the packet extension field in a wireless LAN system to support 2x throughput improvement, coverage extension, and high speed [Lim: Para. 0001-0004].
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein the NGV-LTF is encoded in symbol format NGV-LTF-2x,” as [(Para. 0291), The NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one LTF format. For example, the NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one of an NGV-LTF-1x format, an NGV-LTF-2x format, or a repeated NGV-LTF-2x format.] “wherein symbols of the NGV-LTF have a duration of 8 microseconds (μs),” [(Para. 0435), Specifically, the duration of the NGV PPDU may be set to a multiple of 8 μs. When at least one midamble is included, the duration of the NGV PPDU not including the packet extension field may not be set to a multiple of 8 μs. Accordingly, the duration of the NGV PPDU may be maintained as a multiple of 8 μs based on the packet extension field.] “and wherein the NGV-LTF it transmitted with a cyclic prefix (CP) of 1.6 μs” [(Para. 0292), The repeated NGV-LTF-2x format may be configured by repeating the NGV-LTF-2x format from which 1.6 μs of one pre-appended cyclic prefix (CP) and guard interval (GI) are excluded.].
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein the NGV-SIG, the RNGV-SIG, the NGV-STF and the NGV-LTF, each have a symbol duration of 8 μs” as [(Para, 0275), the preamble of the NGV PPDU may include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, NGV-SIG, RNGV-SIG, NGV-STF, and/or NGV-LTF… (Para. 0011), the length of the NGV PPDU is set in symbol units (e.g., 8 μs)].
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein for two spatial streams with LTF symbol repetition equaling one (LTF_REP=1), the processing circuitry is configured to encode the NFV-LTF to include a first repetition comprising two NGV-LTF-2x symbols and a second repetition comprising two LTF-2x symbols” as [(Para. 0291), The NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one LTF format. For example, the NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one of an NGV-LTF-1x format, an NGV-LTF-2x format, or a repeated NGV-LTF-2x format.].
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein for transmission of an NGV PPDU with a data field and for transmission of an NGV Ranging NDP without NGV-LTF repetition, the processing circuitry is configured to set the predetermined bit in the NGV-SIG to another predetermined value” as [(Para. 0391), the transmitting STA may transmit information related to the packet extension or padding applied to the PPDU based on the 1-bit indication in the NGV-SIG. The 1 bit information can be set/configured in various ways.].
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein the NGV-SIG is encoded to include a bit to indicate whether the I2R NGV ranging NDP has a transmission bandwidth of 10 MHz or 20 MHz” as [(Para. 0391), the transmitting STA may transmit information related to the packet extension or padding applied to the PPDU based on the 1-bit indication in the NGV-SIG. The 1 bit information can be set/configured in various ways…. (Para. 0005), In the NGV standard (i.e., 802.11bd standard), wide bandwidth (20 MHz) transmission is being considered instead of the conventional 10 MHz transmission to improve 2x throughput.].
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Das teaches “wherein in response to transmission of the I2R NGV ranging NDP, the processing circuitry is configured to decode a responder-to-initiator NGV-NDP (R2I NGV NDP) from the RSTA following by an R2I link management report (R2I LMR) frame, the R2I LMR frame reporting an arrival time of the I2R NGV NDP and a departure time of the R2I NGV NDP” as [(Para. 0138), The method 1300 continues at operation 1310 with encoding RSTA to ISTA LMRs for the ISTAs, where the RSTA to ISTA LMRs comprise indications of a time of arrival when a corresponding UL NDP frame of the UL NDP frames was received at the RSTA, an indication of a time of departure when a corresponding DL NDP frame was transmitted from the RSTA, and a corresponding ISTA dialog token of the ISTA dialog tokens. For example, RSTA is configured to encode RSTA to ISTA LMR 820 that comprises the time of arrival of a corresponding UL NDP 814 and the time of departure of a corresponding DL NDP 818 as well as STA counters 822, e.g., STAN sounding dialogue token 1122 where LMR 1100 is per ISTA 802.].
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Das teaches “wherein the processing circuitry comprises a baseband processor” as [(Para. 0038), Baseband processing circuity 108].
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 3.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 4.
Regarding claim 15, 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 6.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein the NGV STA is configured for multiple frame transmission in an EDCA TXOP” as [(Para. 0090), an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) parameter set… (Para. 0149), The cascade operation implies that downlink MU transmission and uplink MU transmission are performed together in the same TxOP. That is, it implies that downlink MU transmission is performed and thereafter uplink MU transmission is performed after a pre-set time (e.g., SIFS).].
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1, including “wherein when operating as a responding station (RSTA) for performing non-trigger-based NGV ranging, the processing circuitry is configured to: decode an NGV ranging null-data packet (NDP) announcement (NGV NDPA) frame received from an initiating station (ISTA),” [(Das: Para. 0200), For example, RSTA 1504 may decode NDPA 1512 from ISTA 1502, the NDPA 1512 may include a STA info subfield 912 for the RSTA 904.] “decode an initiator-to-responder (I2R) NGV ranging null-data packet (NDP) (I2R NGV ranging NDP) received from the ISTA following the NGV NDPA frame,” [(Das: Para. 0201), The method 2800 continues at operation 2804 with decoding the I2R NDP in accordance with the spatial streams. For example, RSTA 1504 decodes I2R NDP 1516].
Regarding claim 20, the combination of Das and Lim, specifically Lim teaches “wherein the NGV-LTF is decoded in accordance with symbol format NGV-LTF-2x,” as [(Para. 0291), The NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one LTF format. For example, the NGV-LTF 2380 may be configured based on at least one of an NGV-LTF-1x format, an NGV-LTF-2x format, or a repeated NGV-LTF-2x format.] “and wherein symbols of the NGV-LTF have a duration of 8 microseconds (μs)” [(Para. 0435), Specifically, the duration of the NGV PPDU may be set to a multiple of 8 μs. When at least one midamble is included, the duration of the NGV PPDU not including the packet extension field may not be set to a multiple of 8 μs. Accordingly, the duration of the NGV PPDU may be maintained as a multiple of 8 μs based on the packet extension field.] “with a cyclic prefix (CP) of 1.6 μs,” (Para. 0292), The repeated NGV-LTF-2x format may be configured by repeating the NGV-LTF-2x format from which 1.6 μs of one pre-appended cyclic prefix (CP) and guard interval (GI) are excluded.] “and
wherein the NGV-SIG, the RNGV-SIG, the NGV-STF and the NGV-LTF, each have a symbol duuration of 8 μs” [(Para, 0275), the preamble of the NGV PPDU may include L-STF, L-LTF, L-SIG, RL-SIG, NGV-SIG, RNGV-SIG, NGV-STF, and/or NGV-LTF… (Para. 0011), the length of the NGV PPDU is set in symbol units (e.g., 8 μs)].
Allowable Subject Matters
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claim 9 is also objected since it depends claim 8.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATALI N PASCUAL PEGUERO whose telephone number is (571)272-4691. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11AM-9PM.
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/NATALI PASCUAL PEGUERO/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/ASAD M NAWAZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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