CTNF 18/121,744 CTNF 79662 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-3,11,13, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Haider et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2024/0155487 hereinafter “Haider” which claims priority to provisional application no. 63/422,565 filed November 4, 2022) . Referring to claim 1, Haider teaches an apparatus of an access point (AP), the apparatus comprising memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory (see figure 3), the processing circuitry configured to: encode a beacon frame, the beacon frame comprising a target wake time (TWT) element, the TWT element indicating a restricted TWT service period (SP) of an overlapping basic service set (OBSS), the TWT element comprising a field indicating the TWT element is for the OBSS (see ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional); and configure the AP to transmit the beacon frame ((see ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional). Referring to claim 2, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: cause the AP to refrain from transmitting during the TWT SP of the OBSS (see ¶ 107). Referring to claim 3, Haider The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: end a transmission opportunity (TxOP) before a start of the TWT SP of the OBSS (see ¶ 107). Referring to claim 11, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), and further discloses wherein the beacon frame is a first beacon frame, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: encode a second beacon frame, the second beacon frame comprising an indication that the AP will be in a power save mode during the period of time of the restricted TWT SP of the OBSS (see ¶ 127). Referring to claim 13, Haider discloses the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), and Haider further discloses wherein the AP is a first AP, the restricted TWT SP is a first restricted TWT SP, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: encode for transmission a RTWT request frame, the RTWT request frame indicating a second TWT SP, the second TWT SP for a basic service set (BSS) of the first AP (see ¶ 98). Referring to claim 16, Haider teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of an apparatus of an access point (AP) (see ¶ 155), the instructions to configure the one or more processors to: encode a beacon frame, the beacon frame comprising a target wake time (TWT) element, the TWT element indicating a restricted TWT service period (SP) of an overlapping basic service set (OBSS), the TWT element comprising a field indicating the TWT element is for the OBSS (see ¶ 43, see also ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional); and configure the AP to transmit the beacon frame (see ¶ 43, see also ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional). Referring to claim 17, Haider teaches the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16 (as shown above), and Haider further discloses wherein the instructions further comprise: refrain from transmitting during the TWT SP of the OBSS (see ¶ 107). Referring to claim 18, Haider discloses an apparatus of a station (STA), the apparatus comprising memory; and processing circuitry coupled to the memory (see figure 3), the processing circuitry configured to: decode a beacon frame, the beacon frame comprising a target wake time (TWT) element, the TWT element indicating a restricted TWT service period (SP) of an overlapping basic service set (OBSS), the TWT element comprising a field indicating the TWT element is for the OBSS (see ¶ 43, see also ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional); and cause the STA to refrain from transmitting during the TWT SP (see ¶ 43, see also ¶¶ 2,4,5,107) (see also pages 4-5 of the ‘565 provisional). Referring to claim 19, Haider discloses the apparatus of claim 18 (as shown above), and Haider further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: end a transmission opportunity (TxOP) before a start of the TWT SP (see ¶ 107) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haider in view of Shafin et al. (US Pub. No. 2022/0408355 hereinafter “Shafin”) . Referring to claim 4, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), however Haider fails to disclose wherein the AP is a first AP, the restricted TWT SP of the OBSS is a first restricted TWT SP of the OBSS, and the processing circuitry is further configured to: decode a TWT element from an AP of the OBSS, the TWT indicating a second restricted TWT SP of the OBSS, the second restricted TWT SP of the OBSS indicating a time period for the restricted TWT SP; adjust the time period in accordance with a timing synchronization function (TSF) of the first AP; and wherein the encode further comprises: encode the TWT element to indicate the adjusted time period. Shafin discloses, in an analogous system, the above limitations (see ¶¶ 74-76). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with the above teachings of Shafin. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make such modification in order to facilitate MAP coordination as suggested by Shafin. Referring to claim 12, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), however Haider fails to specifically disclose wherein the AP is a first AP, and the processing circuitry is further configured to: provide time periods, in accordance with multi-AP time division multiple access (TDMA), to a second AP of the OBSS during the TWT SP of the OBSS. Shafin discloses, in an analogous system, the above limitations (see ¶ 46 and figure 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with the above teachings of Shafin. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make such modification in order to facilitate MAP coordination as suggested by Shafin . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haider in view of Xin et al. (U.S. Pub. No. 2022/0201591 hereinafter “Xin”) . Referring to claim 5, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), and Haider further discloses wherein the AP is a first AP, the TWT element is a first TWT element (see rejection of claim 1), however Haider fails to explicitly disclose the processing is further configured to: decode, from a second AP, a restricted TWT (rTWT) request frame, the rTWT request frame comprising a second TWT element, the second TWT element indicating the restricted TWT SP. Xin teaches, in an analogous system, first and second APs coordinating respective R-TWT information (see ¶¶ 7,55, and 75). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with the above teachings of Xin in order to facilitate coordination between APs and BSSs as suggested by Xin (see ¶ 55). Referring to claim 6, the combination of Haider and Xin renders obvious the apparatus of claim 5 (as shown above), and Haider further wherein the rTWT request frame comprises a third TWT element, the third TWT element indicating a rTWT SP of the AP (see figure 5B). Referring to claim 7, the combination of Haider and Xin renders obvious the apparatus of claim 5 (as shown above), and Haider further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: encode a restricted TWT response frame, the TWT response frame indicating an acceptance to advertise the restricted TWT SP (see ¶ 114) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim s 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haider in view of Xin as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Shafin . Referring to claim 8, the combination of Haider and Xin renders obvious the apparatus of claim 5 (as shown above), however the combination fails to explicitly dislcoses wherein the restricted TWT SP is a first restricted TWT SP, wherein the rTWT request frame comprises a second restricted TWT SP, the second restricted TWT SP indicating a second restricted TWT of the second AP, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: encode a restricted TWT response, the TWT response frame indicating an acceptance to advertise the second restricted TWT SP and not the first TWT SP. Shafin teaches, in an analogous system, the above limitations (see figure 4 and ¶¶ 74-76). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the combination of Haider and Xin with the above teachings of Shafin. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make such modification in order to facilitate MAP coordination as suggested by Shafin. Referring to claim 9, the combination of Haider and Xin renders obvious the apparatus of claim 5 (as shown above), however the combination fails to disclose wherein the restricted TWT SP is a first restricted TWT SP, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: encode a restricted TWT response frame, the TWT response frame indicating a second restricted TWT SP is being suggested rather than the first restricted TWT SP Shefin dislclose in an analogous system, the above limitations (see figure 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the combination of Haider and Xin with the above teachings of Shafin. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make such modification in order to facilitate MAP coordination as suggested by Shafin. Referring to claim 10, the combination of Haider, Xin, and Shafin renders obvious the apparatus of claim 9 (as shown above), and Shafin further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: decode, from the second AP, an indication of acceptance of the second restricted TWT SP (see figure 4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the combination of Haider and Xin with the above teachings of Shafin for the same reasons as mentioned above . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 14,15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Haider in view of Huang (U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0203439 hereinafter “Huang”) . Referring to claim 14, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), however Haider fails to disclose the apparatus further comprising transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more microstrip antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. Huang teaches in an analogous system, a communication apparatus comprising transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more microstrip antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with those of Huang. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such modification as a matter of design choice. Haider discloses an antenna (see ¶ 85), however Haider does not specify a type. Huang discloses a plurality of types of antenna suitable for the device of Huang. Referring to claim 15, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 1 (as shown above), and however Haider fails to teach the apparatus further comprising transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more patch antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. Huang teaches in an analogous system, a communication apparatus comprising transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more patch antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with those of Huang. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such modification as a matter of design choice. Haider discloses an antenna (see ¶ 85), however Haider does not specify a type. Huang discloses a plurality of types of antenna suitable for the device of Huang. Referring to claim 20, Haider teaches the apparatus of claim 18 as shown above, however Haider fails to explicitly disclose a transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more microstrip antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique, or transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more patch antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique. Huang teaches in an analogous system, a communication apparatus comprising a transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more microstrip antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique, or transceiver circuitry coupled to the processing circuitry, the transceiver circuitry coupled to two or more patch antennas for receiving signaling in accordance with a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technique (see figure 7 and ¶ 96). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the Applicant’s invention to modify the teachings of Haider with those of Huang. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such modification as a matter of design choice. Haider discloses an antenna (see ¶ 85), however Haider does not specify a type. Huang discloses a plurality of types of antennae suitable for the device of Huang . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0306955 to HAN discloses a system for multi-AP coordination including transmission of TWT configuration information for an OBSS and is cited as background information. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERON J SORRELL whose telephone number is (571)272-4160. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-6PM EST. 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, Michael Fuelling can be reached at 571-270-1367. 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. Signed: /ERON J SORRELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3992 Application/Control Number: 18/121,744 Page 2 Art Unit: 3992 Application/Control Number: 18/121,744 Page 3 Art Unit: 3992 Application/Control Number: 18/121,744 Page 4 Art Unit: 3992
Prosecution Insights