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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/27/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5 and 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe (US 2022/0330368; hereinafter Watanabe) in view of Kneckt et al. (US 2022/0418022) in further view of Takada (US 2023/0371078).
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe teaches a method for performing channel usage management with aid of multi-link operation (MLO) architecture (Paragraphs [0022]; [0046] describes multi-link operation architecture where devices “concurrently using a plurality of radio frequency bands” with “a plurality of radio links can be established” for communication) ,
the method being applicable to a wireless transceiver device within a wireless communications system (Paragraph [0028] describes the hardware configuration of wireless devices ( AP 102 and the STA 103) and these are clearly wireless transceiver devices with both transmissions and reception capabilities),
the method comprising: utilizing the wireless transceiver device to communicate with another device within the wireless communications system through at least one portion of multiple links respectively corresponding to multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Paragraphs [0043]; [0044] Describes utilizing wireless devices to communicate through radio links…” established in 5ch in 2.4 GHz, 36ch in 5 GHz, and 220ch in 6 GHz.” The three frequency bands (2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ) are predetermined radio frequency bands and the specific channels (5ch, 36ch, 220ch) represent portions of these bands used for multiple links),
Watanabe doesn’t teach wherein the wireless transceiver device is configured to be equipped with multiple APs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands, and the other device is configured to be equipped with multiple non-AP STAs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands; performing a first procedure, comprising: determining whether any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive channel management information; and sending the channel management information via one or more other links among the multiple links at any time point when it is determined any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive the channel management information, wherein the first channel is one of multiple channels of a first predetermined radio frequency band among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands.
However, in analogous art Kneckt teaches wherein the wireless transceiver device is configured to be equipped with multiple APs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Paragraphs [0081]-[0083]; [0086]-[0087]; [0090] “configured to be equipped with multiple Aps” covers any logical or physical implementation of multiple AP entities on one device. Discloses a single AP MLD providing multiple affiliated Aps, each operating on a distinct frequency band, in a one-to one correspondence),
Kneckt teaches and the other device is configured to be equipped with multiple non-AP STAs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Paragraphs [0086]-[0087] describes the non-AP MLD operates multiple affiliated STAs each corresponding to a specific frequency band in a one-to-one mapping);
Kneckt doesn’t teach performing a first procedure, comprising: determining whether any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive channel management information and sending the channel management information via one or more other links among the multiple links at any time point when it is determined any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive the channel management information, wherein the first channel is one of multiple channels of a first predetermined radio frequency band among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands.
Watanabe teaches and at a first time point when radar is detected on a first channel used by a first link among the multiple links (Paragraph [0048] describes radar detection in a first channel (36ch of the 5 GHZ band) used by the first link. The phrase “(step S801)” provides the temporal marker teaching “at a first time point” because S801 represent the specific procedural moment when the determination or detection occurs, establishing a defined time point in the operational sequence),
In analogous art Takada teaches performing a first procedure, comprising: determining whether any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive channel management information (paragraphs [0006]; [0047]; [0066] describes process of assessing whether a link/STA is in doze (power save) state or wakeup state before or while transmitting management frames. Identifies the problem that a STA may be in a doze state and unable to receive, and the solution of using a second link to ensure delivery inherently requiring a determination of readiness or availability on that alternative link);
Takada teaches and sending the channel management information via one or more other links among the multiple links at any time point when it is determined any non-AP STA of the other device is ready to receive the channel management information (Paragraphs [0046]; [0046]; [0073]; [0090] describes sending the quiet/transmission prohibition notification (channel management information) via the second link 105 (an “other link”), and specifically because the target STA on the first link maybe in doze and unavailable),
Takada teaches wherein the first channel is one of multiple channels of a first predetermined radio frequency band among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Paragraphs [0024]; [0026] describes that multiple frequency channels exist within each band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Watanabe’s method of performing multi-link channel usage management with radar detection and Kneckt and by incorporating the teaching of Takada regarding power save mode device readiness and coordinated channel switch announcement procedures. Such modification would provide enhanced channel management that accounts for device power states and ensures reliable delivery of channel management information across multiple communication systems (Takada, Paragraph [0025).
Regarding claim 2, Watanabe in view of Takada and Kneckt, Watanabe teaches wherein the wireless transceiver device is an access point (AP) device, and the other device is a station (STA) device (Paragraph [0022] describes (AP 102) as one of the communication apparatus and (terminal (STA 103)as the other communication apparatus).
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe in view of Takada and Kneckt, Watanabe teaches wherein the wireless transceiver device is arranged to perform multiple procedures regarding channel control, and the first procedure is one of the multiple procedures (Paragraphs [0047]; [0049];[0052] describes the AP performing multiple distinct procedures for channel control (including step S803, S804, and others) with the first procedures (transmitting channel management information via alternative links) being one specific procedure among this set of multiple channel control procedures).
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe in view of Takada and Kneckt, Takada teaches wherein the wireless transceiver device is arranged to perform the first procedure to prevent any error of failing to receive the channel management information by the other device due to the other device being in a non-awake state, wherein the channel management information comprises a channel switch announcement (CSA) information element (IE) and a quiet IE (Paragraph [0006]; [0066]; [0051]-[0052]; [0087]; [0089], describes to prevent any error of failing to receive the channel management information by other device due to the other device being in a power save. Using channel switch announcement elements as channel management information, and using quiet elements as part of the channel management system).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe in view of Takada and Kneckt, Watanabe teaches wherein the multiple links represent multiple multi-link device (MLD) links, the first link represents a first MLD link among the multiple MLD links, and the one or more other links represent one or more other MLD links among the multiple MLD links the other device is ready to receive channel management information comprises (Fig. 5 shows multiple simultaneous links (2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ) between the multi-link devices):
Takada teaches determining if any non-AP STA corresponding to the one or more other MLD links is in an awake state; and the step of sending the channel management information comprises: when it is determined any STA among the one or more non-AP STAs becomes in the awake state, sending an action frame carrying the channel management information to the STA to indicate a new channel among the multiple channels, for performing channel switching (Paragraphs [0047]; [0049]; [0062]; [0066]; [0089]; [0090]; describes the probe response carrying channel management information is sent a discretionary DCF timing, the AP transmits precisely when it gains channel access and the recipient STA is reachable. The power save state management unit in tracks each STAs awake/doze state per link in real time via received MAC frames ).
Claim 10 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1 respectively.
Claim 11 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2 respectively.
Claim 12 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 3 respectively.
Claim 13 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 4 respectively.
Claim 14 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5 respectively.
Claim(s) 6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe in view of Kneckt in further view of Takada and Park (US 2018/0020410).
Regarding claim 6, Takada teaches wherein at least one possible mode of the any STA among the one or more non-AP STAs comprises a power saving mode (Paragraphs [0047]; [0048]; [0062] describes that STAs have a power saving mode as one of their possible operational modes);
Takada teaches and the first procedure further comprises: in response to none of one or more non-AP STAs corresponding to the one or more other MLD links being in the awake state, determining if the any STA is in the power saving mode (Paragraphs [0006]; [0047]-[0050]; [0066]; [0083] describes that the requirement to consider and account for STAs in power save mode when scheduling channel switches implies determining whether STAs are in power saving mode);
However, Watanabe, Kneckt and Takada don’t teach and in response to the any STA being in the power saving mode, determining whether a power-saving (PS)-poll frame or a trigger frame of the any STA is received by a corresponding AP among the multiple APs; wherein in response to any of the PS-poll frame and the trigger frame of the any STA being received by the corresponding AP,
In analogous art Park teaches and in response to the any STA being in the power saving mode, determining whether a power-saving (PS)-poll frame or a trigger frame of the any STA is received by a corresponding AP among the multiple Aps (Paragraphs [0091]; [0107]-[0109] describes PS-Poll frames being sent by STAs and received by Aps or an AP determining whether it has received a PS-Poll frame from a STA);
Park teaches wherein in response to any of the PS-poll frame and the trigger frame of the any STA being received by the corresponding AP (Paragraphs [0077]-[0079]; [0091]-[0092] Describes non-AP STA device to actively notify the AP when it's ready to receive buffered downlink traffic on a specific secondary link. The AP can then use this information to efficiently manage data delivery and coordinate channel switching or other actions based on the STA's awake status),
Watanabe teaches an operation of sending the action frame carrying the channel management information to the any STA is performed (Paragraph [0051] describes that the transmit Radio Frequency Change Notification: The AP 102 sends a notification to the STA 103 to inform it about the planned change in radio frequency. This notification can be done using an element like the Channel Switch Announcement (CSA) element. This element is included in a radio frame).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Watanabe in view of Kneckt and Takada’s method of power saving mode device readiness and coordinated channel switch announcement procedures with Park’s method of sending a wakeup PPDU to a sleeping STA, monitors for receipt of either a PS-Poll frame or trigger frame from the STA to reduce idle power consumption while maintaining network connectivity and synchronization.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 6 respectively.
Claim(s) 7 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe in view of Kneckt in further view of Takada and Gan et al. (US 2022/0264429; hereinafter Gan).
Regarding claim 7, Watanabe in view of Kneckt in further view of Takada and Gan, Gan teaches wherein at least one possible mode of the any STA among the one or more non-AP STAs comprises a target wake time (TWT) mode (Paragraphs [0068]; [0114] disclose TWT (target wake time)based power saving mechanisms for STAs, and STAs can operate in TWT mode with defined wake intervals);
Takada teaches and the first procedure further comprises: in response to none of one or more non-AP STAs corresponding to the one or more other MLD links being in the awake state (Paragraphs [0006]; [0047]-[0050]; [0066]; [0083] describes that the requirement to consider and account for STAs in power save mode when scheduling channel switches implies determining whether STAs are in power saving mode),
Gan teaches determining if the any STA is in the TWT mode; and in response to the any STA being in the TWT mode, determining if the any STA is in a TWT service period; wherein in response to the any STA being in the TWT service period (Paragraph [0114] describes TWT service periods (awake, periods, or intervals) and how they are determined and calculated. In TWT mode, there are defined service periods when STAs are awake),
Watanabe teaches an operation of sending the action frame carrying the channel management information to the any STA is performed (Paragraph [0051] describes transmit Radio Frequency Change Notification: The AP 102 sends a notification to the STA 103 to inform it about the planned change in radio frequency. This notification can be done using an element like the Channel Switch Announcement (CSA) element. This element is included in a radio frame).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Watanabe in view of Kneckt and Takada’s method of power saving mode device readiness and coordinated channel switch announcement procedures with Gan power consumption reduction in multi-link wireless devices to improve a peak throughput and reduce traffic transmission latency (Gan, Paragraph [0003]).
Claim 16 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7 respectively.
Claim(s) 8-9 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe in view of Kneckt in further view of Takada and Klein et al. (US 2023/0309169; hereinafter Klein).
Regarding claim 8, Watanabe teaches wherein the multiple links represent multiple multi-link device (MLD) links, the first link represents a first MLD link among the multiple MLD [inks, and the one or more other links represent one or more other MLD links among the multiple MLD links (Fig. 5 demonstrates multiple simultaneous links (2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ) between the multi-link devices),
wherein the wireless transceiver device is configured to be equipped with multiple APs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Fig. 5 Shows the wireless transceiver device (labeled 102) being equipped with multiple Aps respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands specifically showing separate AP entities for 2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ),
and the other device is configured to be equipped with multiple non-AP STAs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Fig. 5 Shows the other device (labeled 103) being equipped with multiple non-AP STAs respectively showing separate STA entities for 2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ);
However Watanabe doesn’t teach and the wireless transceiver device is arranged to perform a second procedure, wherein the second procedure comprises: among the multiple non-AP STAs, determining if a first STA corresponding to the first predetermined radio frequency band is set with a traffic identifier (TID)-to-link mapping relationship in the first channel; in response to the first STA corresponding to the first predetermined radio frequency band being set with the TID-to-link mapping relationship in the first channel, among the multiple non-AP STAs, determining if any non-AP STA corresponding to the one or more other MLD links is in an awake state, wherein none of one or more non-AP STAs corresponding to the one or more other MLD links is in the awake state; and after any STA among the one or more non-AP STAs becomes in the awake state, sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the one or more other MLD links to the any STA to disable one or more TIDs used in the first predetermined radio frequency band and enable one or more TIDs in one or more other predetermined radio frequency bands among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands. ..
In analogous art Klein teaches and the wireless transceiver device is arranged to perform a second procedure, wherein the second procedure comprises: among the multiple non-AP STAs, determining if a first STA corresponding to the first predetermined radio frequency band is set with a traffic identifier (TID)-to-link mapping relationship in the first channel; in response to the first STA corresponding to the first predetermined radio frequency band being set with the TID-to-link mapping relationship in the first channel (Paragraphs [0022]; [0105] discloses TID-to-link mapping relationships for multi-link wireless non-AP stations. The reference describes determining which TIDs are mapped to which setup links for specific non-AP stations.),
Takada teaches among the multiple non-AP STAs, determining if any non-AP STA corresponding to the one or more other MLD links is in an awake state, wherein none of one or more non-AP STAs corresponding to the one or more other MLD links is in the awake state; and after any STA among the one or more non-AP STAs becomes in the awake state (Paragraphs [0006]; [0047]-[0050]; [0066]; [0083] describes the requirement to consider and account for STAs in power save mode when scheduling channel switches implies determining whether STAs are in power saving mode),
Takada doesn’t teach sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the one or more other MLD links to the any STA to disable one or more TIDs used in the first predetermined radio frequency band and enable one or more TIDs in one or more other predetermined radio frequency bands among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands.
In analogous art Klein teaches sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the one or more other MLD links to the any STA to disable one or more TIDs used in the first predetermined radio frequency band (Paragraphs [0106]; [0117]-[0118] Describes sending a link disable notification management frame to one or more of the plurality of multi-link wireless non-AP stations)
and enable one or more TIDs in one or more other predetermined radio frequency bands among the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Paragraphs [0112]; [0120]-[0121] describes sending management frames (including “ link enable notification management frame”)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Watanabe in view of Takada’s method of power saving mode device readiness and coordinated channel switch announcement procedures with Klein method of link disable/enable operations between access points and stations to improve communication throughput (Klein, Paragraph [0015]).
Regarding claim 9, Watanabe teaches wherein the multiple links represent multiple multi-link device (MLD) links, the first link represents a first MLD link among the multiple MLD links, and the one or more other links represent one or more other MLD links among the multiple MLD links (Fig. 5 demonstrates multiple simultaneous links (2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ) between the multi-link devices),
wherein the wireless transceiver device is configured to be equipped with multiple APs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands, and the other device is configured to be equipped with multiple non-AP STAs respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (Fig. 5 Shows the wireless transceiver device (labeled 102) being equipped with multiple Aps respectively corresponding to the multiple predetermined radio frequency bands specifically showing separate AP entities for 2.4 GHZ, 5GHZ, 6GHZ);
and the wireless transceiver device is arranged to perform at least one other procedure, wherein the at least one other procedure comprises: determining if a channel availability check time of a new channel among the multiple channels has expired and no radar is detected in the new channel; in response to the channel availability check time of the new channel among the multiple channels having expired and no radar being detected in the new channel, among the multiple non-AP STAs (Paragraphs [0045]; [0057]-[0058] describes a predetermined time period (channel availability check time), monitoring for radar interference during that time and conditional action based on no interference being detected during the time period),
Watanabe doesn’t teach determining if any non-AP STA corresponding to any MLD link is in an awake state; and if the any non-AP STA corresponding to the any MLD link is in the awake state, sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the any MLD link to the any non-AP STA corresponding to the any MLD link to enable one or more TIDs which are previously disabled and used in the first predetermined radio frequency band, otherwise, after at least one non-AP STA corresponding to at least one MLD link becomes in the awake state, sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the at least one MLD link to the at least one STA to enable the one or more TIDs which are previously disabled and used in the first predetermined radio frequency band.
In analogous art Takada teaches determining if any non-AP STA corresponding to any MLD link is in an awake state; and if the any non-AP STA corresponding to the any MLD link is in the awake state (Paragraphs [0006]; [0047]-[0050]; [0066]; [0083] describes the requirement to consider and account for STAs in power save mode when scheduling channel switches implies determining whether STAs are in power saving mode),
In analogous art Klein teaches sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the any MLD link to the any non-AP STA corresponding to the any MLD link to enable one or more TIDs which are previously disabled and used in the first predetermined radio frequency band (Paragraphs [0112]; [0120]-[0121] describes sending management frames (including “ link enable notification management frame”)),
Takada teaches, otherwise, after at least one non-AP STA corresponding to at least one MLD link becomes in the awake state (Paragraphs [0006]; [0047]-[0050]; [0066]; [0083] describes the requirement to consider and account for STAs in power save mode when scheduling channel switches implies determining whether STAs are in power saving mode),
Klein teaches sending a TID-to-link mapping request frame over the at least one MLD link to the at least one STA to enable the one or more TIDs which are previously disabled and used in the first predetermined radio frequency band (Paragraphs [0106]; [0117]-[0118] describes enable TIDs which are previously disabled and used in the first predetermined radio frequency band).
Claim 17 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 8 respectively.
Claim 18 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 9 respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEHERET WOLDEGEBREAL KIDANE whose telephone number is (571)270-3642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F8:30-5.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/M.W.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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