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 .
DETAILED ACTION
a. Claims 1-14 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, are being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 08/23/2023.
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 of this title, 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.
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.
Claims 1, 6, 7, and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. Us Pub 2024/0049116 (hereinafter “Choi”), and in view of Kim et al. US Pub 2004/0152417 (hereinafter “Kim”).
Regarding claim 1
Choi discloses a method of operating a first apparatus in a short-range wireless communication system (“a method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for the same in a short-range wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method for transmitting and receiving audio data/control data using Bluetooth technology and a device for the same in a short-range wireless communication system.” [0001]),
the first apparatus includes: a first processor corresponding to a host stack (“The host stack may be implemented as part of an OS operating on the processor module or as a package instance on an OS.” [0110]); a second processor corresponding to a first controller stack (“First, the controller stack may be implemented using a communication module which may include a Bluetooth wireless device and a processor module which may include a processing device, such as a microprocessor.” [0109]); a memory (“memory unit 115” in Fig. 2; [0092]); and a transceiver (“a network interface 116 including a Bluetooth interface” in Fig. 2; [0092]), wherein the host stack and the first controller stack are connected through a host controller interface (HCI) (“The host controller interface (HCI) provides an interface between the host stack and the controller stack so that the host stack may provide commands and data to the controller stack and the controller stack may provide events and data to the host stack.” [0142]),
the method comprising:
in relation to data transport from the first controller stack of the first apparatus to a second controller stack of a second apparatus, transporting, from the first processor to the second processor (“The host controller interface (HCI) provides an interface between the host stack and the controller stack so that the host stack may provide commands and data to the controller stack and the controller stack may provide events and data to the host stack.” [0142]);
transporting a plurality of service data units (SDUs) generated by the first processor to the second processor (“More specifically, FIGS. 21 and 22 relate to a case where the Max PDU is changed (increased), and FIG. 21 relates to an example in which the CIS updated is performed by merging two SDUs to use a hyper length PDU of 400 bytes and FIG. 22 relates to an example in which the CIS update is performed by merging three SDUs.” [0342]) - each of the plurality of SDUs is transported to the second processor apart at each configured sub interval- (“Referring to FIG. 22, payloads 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with flush points after Instant are scheduled during the transition period T.” [0324]); and
based on the HCI command information, transporting, by the transceiver, each of a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs) based on each of the plurality of SDUs to the second apparatus after each of the plurality of SDUs is received by the second processor (“More specifically, FIGS. 21 and 22 relate to a case where the Max PDU is changed (increased), and FIG. 21 relates to an example in which the CIS updated is performed by merging two SDUs to use a hyper length PDU of 400 bytes and FIG. 22 relates to an example in which the CIS update is performed by merging three SDUs.” [0324]),
wherein transport of the plurality of PDUs is performed within one isochronous event (“In addition, in the present disclosure, the link parameters include (i) a first parameter for the maximum number of CIS events which may be used for transmission of connected isochronous stream (CIS) data packet data unit (PDU) and (ii) a second parameter for the number of new payloads for each broadcast isochronous stream (BIS) of a BIS event.” [0020]).
Choi does not specifically disclose HCI command information configured so that there is no buffering in the first controller stack or an option to select for buffering is available.
In an analogous art, Kim discloses HCI command information (“As described above, the system performs communication with the mobile terminal while buffering data packets in the handoff buffer 12, the microcontroller 30 controls the HCI to delete or keep the packets buffered in the handoff buffer (S440) according to whether a baseband ACK signal transmitted from the mobile terminal is received (S430).” [0039]) configured so that there is no buffering in the first controller stack (“That is, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to delete the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 14 (i.e. no buffering is chosen and there is no need to keep buffered packets) when receiving the baseband ACK signal from the mobile terminal (S444), and enables continuous communications to be performed while sequentially buffering to-be-transmitted data packets into the handoff buffer 12. If the baseband ACK signal is not received within an estimated time from the mobile terminal, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to continuously maintain the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 12 (S442).” [0039]) or an option to select for buffering is available (“In the meantime, if the baseband ACK signal is not received from the mobile terminal with a handoff occurring, the microcontroller 30 does not delete, but maintains the packets buffered in the handoff-buffer 12 (S442). That is, the system does not receive the baseband ACK signal any more, even when a handoff occurs, so that the microcontroller 30 does not delete, but maintains the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 12.” [0040])
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system, to include Kim’s short-range wireless communication system for processing handoffs, in order to minimize transmission delay (Kim [Fig. 4]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Kim’s short-range wireless communication system for processing handoffs into Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 6
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Choi further discloses wherein each of the plurality of PDUs is transported to the second apparatus within the sub interval after receiving each of the plurality of SDUs (“FIGS. 21 and 22 relate to a case where the Max PDU is changed (increased), and FIG. 21 relates to an example in which the CIS updated is performed by merging two SDUs to use a hyper length PDU of 400 bytes and FIG. 22 relates to an example in which the CIS update is performed by merging three SDUs. Referring to FIG. 22, payloads 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with flush points after Instant are scheduled during the transition period T.” [0324]).
Regarding claim 7
Choi discloses a method of operating a second apparatus in a short-range wireless communication system (“a method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for the same in a short-range wireless communication system, and more particularly, to a method for transmitting and receiving audio data/control data using Bluetooth technology and a device for the same in a short-range wireless communication system.” [0001]),
the second apparatus includes: a first processor corresponding to a host stack (“The host stack may be implemented as part of an OS operating on the processor module or as a package instance on an OS.” [0110]); a second processor corresponding to a second controller stack (“First, the controller stack may be implemented using a communication module which may include a Bluetooth wireless device and a processor module which may include a processing device, such as a microprocessor.” [0109]); a memory (“memory unit 115” in Fig. 2; [0092]); and a transceiver (“a network interface 116 including a Bluetooth interface” in Fig. 2; [0092]), wherein the host stack and the second controller stack are connected through a host controller interface (HCI) (“The host controller interface (HCI) provides an interface between the host stack and the controller stack so that the host stack may provide commands and data to the controller stack and the controller stack may provide events and data to the host stack.” [0142]),
the method comprising:
in relation to data reception from a first controller stack of a first apparatus to the second controller stack of the second apparatus (“The host controller interface (HCI) provides an interface between the host stack and the controller stack so that the host stack may provide commands and data to the controller stack and the controller stack may provide events and data to the host stack.” [0142]),
transporting, from the first processor to the second processor, HCI command information configured so that there is no buffering in the second controller stack (“FIGS. 37 and 38 are diagrams illustrating an example of an HCI command for supporting a method proposed by the present disclosure. Referring to FIG. 37(a), the host transmits an HCI command packet to the controller (S3710) and receives an HCI event packet from the controller (S3720). Thereafter, the host and the controller exchange HCI ACL data packets with each other (S3730) and exchange HCI synchronous data packets with each other (S3740).” [0364]);
receiving a plurality of protocol data units (PDUs) from the first apparatus by the transceiver (“More specifically, FIGS. 21 and 22 relate to a case where the Max PDU is changed (increased), and FIG. 21 relates to an example in which the CIS updated is performed by merging two SDUs to use a hyper length PDU of 400 bytes and FIG. 22 relates to an example in which the CIS update is performed by merging three SDUs.” [0324])- each of the plurality of PDUs is received apart at each configured sub interval- (“Referring to FIG. 22, payloads 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with flush points after Instant are scheduled during the transition period T.” [0324]); and
based on the HCI command information, transporting each of the plurality of PDUs from the second processor to the first processor after receiving each of the plurality of PDUs (“the link parameters include (i) a first parameter for the maximum number of CIS events which may be used for transmission of connected isochronous stream (CIS) data packet data unit (PDU)” [0020] and furthermore “The PDUs are transmitted by the link layer in the advertising state and are received by the link layer in the scanning state or initiating state.” [0212]),
wherein reception of the plurality of PDUs is performed within one isochronous event (“In addition, in the present disclosure, the link parameters include (i) a first parameter for the maximum number of CIS events which may be used for transmission of connected isochronous stream (CIS) data packet data unit (PDU) and (ii) a second parameter for the number of new payloads for each broadcast isochronous stream (BIS) of a BIS event.” [0020]).
Choi does not specifically disclose HCI command information configured so that there is no buffering in the first controller stack or an option to select for buffering is available.
In an analogous art, Kim discloses HCI command information (“As described above, the system performs communication with the mobile terminal while buffering data packets in the handoff buffer 12, the microcontroller 30 controls the HCI to delete or keep the packets buffered in the handoff buffer (S440) according to whether a baseband ACK signal transmitted from the mobile terminal is received (S430).” [0039]) configured so that there is no buffering in the first controller stack (“That is, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to delete the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 14 (i.e. no buffering is chosen and there is no need to keep buffered packets) when receiving the baseband ACK signal from the mobile terminal (S444), and enables continuous communications to be performed while sequentially buffering to-be-transmitted data packets into the handoff buffer 12. If the baseband ACK signal is not received within an estimated time from the mobile terminal, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to continuously maintain the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 12 (S442).” [0039]) or an option to select for buffering is available (“In the meantime, if the baseband ACK signal is not received from the mobile terminal with a handoff occurring, the microcontroller 30 does not delete, but maintains the packets buffered in the handoff-buffer 12 (S442). That is, the system does not receive the baseband ACK signal any more, even when a handoff occurs, so that the microcontroller 30 does not delete, but maintains the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 12.” [0040])
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system, to include Kim’s short-range wireless communication system for processing handoffs, in order to minimize transmission delay (Kim [Fig. 4]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Kim’s short-range wireless communication system for processing handoffs into Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 7,
Kim further discloses wherein each of the plurality of PDUs is transported from the second processor to the first processor within the sub interval after receiving each of the plurality of PDUs (“If the baseband ACK signal is not received within an estimated time from the mobile terminal, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to continuously maintain the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 12 (S442).” [0039]).
Regarding claim 13
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 6,
Kim further discloses wherein each of the plurality of PDUs is transported from the second processor to the first processor immediately after receiving each of the plurality of PDUs (“the microcontroller 30 controls the HCI to delete or keep the packets buffered in the handoff buffer (S440) according to whether a baseband ACK signal transmitted from the mobile terminal is received (S430). That is, the microcontroller 30 instructs the baseband controller 14 to delete the packets buffered in the handoff buffer 14 when receiving the baseband ACK signal from the mobile terminal (S444), and enables continuous communications to be performed while sequentially buffering to-be-transmitted data packets into the handoff buffer 12.” [[039]).
Regarding claim 14
A first apparatus in a short-range wireless communication system, the first apparatus comprising:
a first processor corresponding to a host stack; a second processor corresponding to a first controller stack; a memory; and a transceiver,
wherein the host stack and the first controller stack are connected through a host controller interface (HCI),
wherein the memory store instructions for performing operations based on being executed by the first processor and the second processor, and wherein the operations includes all steps of the method of claim 1.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 14 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 14 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Claims 2, 5, 8, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi, in view of Kim, and further in view of Masayuki et al. US Pub 2009/0010202 (hereinafter “Masayuki”).
Regarding claim 2
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Choi previously discloses buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval but Choi and Kim do not specifically teach wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, a parameter related to a max transport latency in the HCI command information is configured to a specific value, and the parameter related to the max transport latency is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
In an analogous art, Masayuki discloses wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, a parameter related to a max transport latency in the HCI command information (“Further, in the present invention, through using the SP value, proper scheduling with consideration of not only a specific QoS parameter, e.g., the Maximum latency, but also other various elements is possible.” [0126]) is configured to a specific value (“The SP value for the latency in S912 can be expressed as follows when a maximum latency is d (sec), an elapsed time since previous transmission is t (sec), and a constant value is .alpha.: .alpha. .times. 1 d - t . Eq . 2 ##EQU00001##” [0137]) , and
is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval (as previously disclosed by Choi in claim 1 discussion).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system, as modified by Kim, to include Masayuki’s method for transmitting and receiving real-time system and non-real-time system packets, according to magnitudes of their scheduling priorities, wherein input parameters of the functions includes a maximum latency (Masayuki [0032]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Masayuki’s method for transmitting and receiving real-time system and non-real-time system packets into Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 5
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Choi further discloses the parameter related to the sub interval defines an interval between successive sub events within one isochronous event (“The audio data is generated periodically (or at a specific time interval) according to characteristics thereof. Here, the specific time interval at which the audio data is periodically generated may be expressed as the idle event interval. Each audio data is transmitted at each idle event interval.” [0266] and furthermore “Among the three options, in the case of #1, when the Interval value is greater in New than in Old, there may be a case where the transition interval does not cover all CIS events to which new parameters are applied. In the case of #2, since Interval is used as a new application, the interval may contain enough Events with new parameters applied. In particular, when the value of the interval is greater in New than in Old, two or more events may be included in the transition period, and the transition may include even 2 to 3 events. In the case of #3, when the interval value is smaller in New than in Old, there may be a case where the transition interval does not cover all CIS events.” [0353])
Choi and Kim do not specifically teach wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, a parameter related to a sub interval in the HCI command information is configured to a specific value, and the parameter related to the sub interval is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
In an analogous art, Masayuki discloses wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, a parameter related to a sub interval in the HCI command information (“Further, in the present invention, through using the SP value, proper scheduling with consideration of not only a specific QoS parameter, e.g., the Maximum latency, but also other various elements is possible.” [0126]) is configured to a specific value (“The SP value for the latency in S912 can be expressed as follows when a maximum latency is d (sec), an elapsed time since previous transmission is t (sec), and a constant value is .alpha.: .alpha. .times. 1 d - t . Eq . 2 ##EQU00001##” [0137]) , and
is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval (as previously disclosed by Choi in claim 1 discussion).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system, as modified by Kim, to include Masayuki’s method for transmitting and receiving real-time system and non-real-time system packets, according to magnitudes of their scheduling priorities, wherein input parameters of the functions includes a maximum latency (Masayuki [0032]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Masayuki’s method for transmitting and receiving real-time system and non-real-time system packets into Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 8
The method of claim 7, wherein in order to have no buffering in the second controller stack, a parameter related to a max transport latency in the HCI command information is configured to a specific value, and
the parameter related to the max transport latency is related to buffering in the second controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 8 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 2. Therefore method claim 8 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Regarding claim 11
The method of claim 7, wherein in order to have no buffering in the second controller stack, a parameter related to a sub interval in the HCI command information is configured to a specific value,
the parameter related to the sub interval defines an interval between successive sub events within one isochronous event, and
the parameter related to the sub interval is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of PDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 11 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 5. Therefore method claim 11 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Claims 4 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi, in view of Kim, and further in view of Xu Foreign Patent WO2022222648 (hereinafter “Xu”).
Regarding claim 4
Choi, as modified by Kim, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Choi and Kim do not specifically teach wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, HCI_LE_Set_Parameters information in the HCI command information is configured to include an equal sub interval spacing bit, and the equal sub interval spacing bit is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
In an analogous art, Xu discloses wherein in order to have no buffering in the first controller stack, HCI_LE_Set_Parameters information (“The host of the master device (audio receiving device) sets parameters of one or more CIS associated with CIG in the controller using HCI_LE_Set_CIG_Parameters commands. If no CIS is created in the CIG, this command may also be used to modify the CIS or add the CIS to the CIG. Each CIS carries a separate isochronous data stream, and the one or more CISs may constitute CIG, each CIG comprising up to 31 CIS.” [0105]) in the HCI command information is configured to include an equal sub interval spacing bit (“The ISO_Interval (synchronization interval) parameter specifies the time between two consecutive CIS anchors. The size of the synchronization interval is 2 bytes, and the value N of the synchronization interval is N=0xXXXX. The time between consecutive CIS anchors, the range is 0x0004 to 0x0C80, the time is N*1.25ms, and the time range is 5ms to 4s.” [0107]), and
the equal sub interval spacing bit is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval (“One event corresponds to one synchronization interval. Within one synchronization interval, sub-event 1 and sub-event 2 time are synchronized.” [0064]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system, as modified by Kim, to include Xu’s audio data sending and receiving method, in order to effectively configure synchronization link establishment (Xu [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Xu’s audio data sending and receiving method into Choi’s method for transmitting and receiving data and a device for same in a short-range wireless communication system since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 10
The method of claim 7, wherein in order to have no buffering in the second controller stack, HCI_LE_Set_CIG_Parameters information in the HCI command information is configured to include an equal sub interval spacing bit, and
the equal sub interval spacing bit is related to buffering in the second controller stack of the plurality of PDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 10 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 4. Therefore method claim 10 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 9 are 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.
The primary reason for the allowance of the Claims 3 and 9 is the inclusion of the features, "the HCI command information is configured to include No buffering feature bit, and the No buffering feature bit is related to buffering in the first controller stack of the plurality of SDUs before an isochronous streams (ISO) interval". These features, as incorporated into the independent claims 3 and 9 are neither known from, nor rendered obvious by, the available prior art.
Conclusion
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411