DETAILED ACTION
1. Claims 12 and 13 have been examined and are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 5/21/2026 has been found to be in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant's arguments filed 4/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner addresses each of the Applicant’s concerns in the following response.
a) Applicant argues Ko does not cure the deficiencies of Seok, since Ko does not teach or disclose “the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus and used for the direct communication with the second apparatus” (Remarks, page 5). In support of this argument, the Applicant argues,
(i) Ko’s use of a BSS color is not equivalent to the claimed identifier (Remarks, page 5);
(ii) Ko’s use of the BSS color is not used across all communications (Remarks, page 7);
(iii) Ko’s use of the BSS color as a pre-existing common color cannot be used as a “new” identifier (Remarks, page 7).
Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Ko discloses “the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus and used for the direct communication with the second apparatus” by Ko’s disclosure at [0085] and [0130]. Examiner first cites Ko at [0088] (for purposes of clarification and context of paragraph [0085], not as an additional citing of Ko to disclose a feature) which describes the base wireless communication terminal as a base station (BS) or access point (AP) capable of performing simultaneous communication with a plurality of wireless communication terminals.
In response to (i) above, Examiner respectfully notes a “color” is an identification of a basic service set (BSS), which may include up to 63 different colors. Ko discloses in at least [0103], the base wireless communication terminal may set (generate) the color or change (generate) the color as a means to communicate with the wireless communication terminal. Thus, Ko’s use of a BSS color is equivalent to an identifier.
In response to (ii) above, Examiner notes this feature is not recited in the claim language. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., an identifier used across all communications) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). However, Examiner notes since the color may be changed/generated, or set, by the base wireless communication terminal, then “The BSS colors of the BSSs included in the same multiple BSSI set may all be the same. Accordingly, the base wireless communication terminal may set the value of the BSS color so that the BSS colors of the BSSs included in the same multiple BSSI set is the same.” This suggests any wireless communication terminal that receives this identifier may be set to communicate with the BSSID.
In response to (iii) above, Examiner notes this feature is not recited in the claim language. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., an identifier used across all communications) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). However, since the base wireless communication terminal is operable to change the color, the BSS color is equivalent to generating an identifier.
b) Applicant argues the combination of Seok and Ko do not disclose the newly-amended feature reciting “wherein the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus, based on the transmission frame transmitted from the first terminal apparatus” (Remarks, page 8). Applicant does not supplement the comments with any arguments other than the ones discussed above.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Although Ko discloses that the identifier is generated by the base wireless communication terminal based on the BSS of the base wireless communication terminal, Ko further discloses that the wireless communication terminal (a user equipment) may determine/change the BSS color in at least [0130-0131], [0227-0232]. Since the wireless communication terminal may change the BSS color to its own color, Ko discloses “wherein the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus, based on the transmission frame transmitted from the first terminal apparatus”. It would have therefore been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the signaling method according to include to include BSS color change control channel signaling from one or more wireless communication terminals for the purpose of the base wireless communication terminal to successfully receive trigger-based reception of PPDUs in its service set and to identify wireless communication terminals that are unassociated with the base wireless communication terminal (Ko: [0232]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
5. Claims 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication 2016/0249397 A1 to Seok (hereinafter “Seok”) in view of United States Patent Application Publication 2020/0037395 A1 to Ko et al. (hereinafter “Ko”).
Regarding Claim 12, Seok discloses a first terminal apparatus (Seok: Figure 1) comprising:
a receiver (Seok: Figure 1, 22) configured to receive a reception frame (Seok: Figure 21, S2110); and
a transmitter (Seok: Figure 1, 21) configured to transmit a transmission frame (Seok: Figure 21, S2120),
wherein the first terminal apparatus is configured to:
perform a communication with a base station apparatus (Seok: Figure 21, S2101 and S2110),
perform a direct communication with a second terminal apparatus (Seok: Figure 21. S2170 and S2180),
transmit, from the transmitter, to the base station apparatus, the transmission frame which comprises configuration information of the direct communication between the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus (Seok: [0296-0299], Figure 21, steps S2110 through S2140 describing identities of the first and second STA shared with the AP.), and
receive, at the receiver, from the base station apparatus, the reception frame which comprises an identifier associated with the direct communication between the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus (Seok: Figure 21 with [0296-0299] – corresponds to steps S2140 through S2180 in which the first STA receives the direct link setup response including a third color parameter (indication/identification) from the AP describing the exchange of colors (IDs) of the first and second STAs for direct communication.).
Although Seok explicitly discloses receiving an identifier associated with direct communication between first and second terminal apparatuses, Seok does not expressly disclose the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus and used for the direct communication with the second apparatus.
However, this feature cannot be considered new or novel in the presence of Ko. Ko is similarly concerned with direct link communications within a basic service set (BSS) (Ko: [0009-0010]). Ko discloses an identifier is generated by the base station apparatus and used for the direct communication with the second apparatus (The limitation is interpreted to correspond to a generated identifier, by a base station, for the communication between the first and second terminal apparatuses, or the base station and any one of a first or second terminal device, as disclosed by Ko in at least [0085], [0130] – a base wireless communication terminal (or base station/access point) sets (or generates) the BSS color for the BSSID in which another wireless terminal may communicate directly with the base station/access point/base wireless communication terminal.). Although Ko discloses that the identifier is generated by the base wireless communication terminal based on the BSS of the base wireless communication terminal, Ko further discloses that the wireless communication terminal (a user equipment) may determine/change the BSS color in at least [0130-0131], [0227-0232]. Since the wireless communication terminal may change the BSS color to its own color, Ko discloses “wherein the identifier is generated by the base station apparatus, based on the transmission frame transmitted from the first terminal apparatus”. It would have therefore been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to modify the signaling method according to include to include BSS color change control channel signaling from one or more wireless communication terminals for the purpose of the base wireless communication terminal to successfully receive trigger-based reception of PPDUs in its service set and to identify wireless communication terminals that are unassociated with the base wireless communication terminal (Ko: [0232]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the apparatus of Seok in view of the apparatus of Ko to include an identifier generated by a base station apparatus and used for the direct communication with a second apparatus for the reasons of easily and efficiently identifying a channel for use between terminals (Ko: [0006-0007]).
Claim 13, directed to a method embodiment of claim 12, recites similar features as claim 12 and is therefore rejected upon the same grounds as claim 12. Please see above rejection of claim 12.
Conclusion
6. 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.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV whose telephone number is (571)270-7163. The examiner can normally be reached M, T, R, F 5:00 AM-5:00 PM, W 5:00 AM-3:00 PM (EDT).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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BENJAMIN H. ELLIOTT IV
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2474
/BENJAMIN H ELLIOTT IV/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 June 17, 2026
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