DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s amendment and arguments filed January 30, 2026 is acknowledged.
Applicant’s amendment have overcome the previous rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Claims 1, 3, 4, 5, 12, 14, and 15 have been amended.
Claim 6 is cancelled, and claim 21 has been newly added.
Claims 1-5 and 7-21 are currently pending.
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 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1-5, 8, 9, and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAIK et al. (hereinafter Naik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0340788 A1) in view of Seok et al. (hereinafter Seok) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0262603 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Naik teaches and discloses a method and a multi-link device (MLD) (MLD, 520, figure 5), comprising:
a first station (STA) (STA, 522, figure 5) associated with a first link (link, 502, figure 5) of a wireless network (wireless network, figures 1 and 5) and configured to communicate with a second MLD (MLD, 510, figure 5) over the first link using a multi-link target wake time (TWT) process; a second STA (STA, 524, figure 5) associated with a second link (link, 504, figure 5) of the wireless network (wireless network, figures 1 and 5) and configured to communicate with the second MLD (MLD, 510, figure 5) over the second link using the multi-link TWT process ([0036]; [0066]; [0067]; teaches a MLD comprising a first and second station communicating with another MLD over a first and second link using TWT process); and
one or more processors (processor, figure 2) communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to: receive, using the first STA on the first link, an initial control frame (an initial control frame/trigger frame) during a first service period (SP) (SP1, figures 10B and 11A) associated with the multi-link TWT process ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process); and
transmit, using the first STA on the first link, a response (response frame) to the initial control frame ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2), wherein the second SP (SP2, figures 10B and 11A) overlaps in time with the first SP (SP1, figures 10B and 11A) ([0036]; [0133]; teaches the first and second SP are substantially synchronized; figures 10B and 11A).
However, Naik may not explicitly disclose a response to indicate an availability of the first STA on the first link during the first SP and to indicate an availability of the second STA on the second link during a second SP associated with the multi-link TWT process.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Seok teaches and suggests a response (TWT response) to indicate an availability of the first STA (first STA, figure 1) on the first link (Link 1, figure 1) during the first SP (first TWT SP) and to indicate an availability of the second STA (second STA, figure 1) on the second link (Link 2, figure 1) during a second SP (second TWT SP) associated with the multi-link TWT process (abstract; [0004]; “…the concept of concurrent TWT agreements pertains to TWT agreements that are established on more than one link between an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and a non-AP MLD, with the TWP service periods (SPs) of the TWT agreements overlapped in time…”; [0027]; [0029]; [0044]; teaches a TWT response to indicate the agreement/availability of the first STA on the first link during a first SP and the agreement/availability of the second STA on the second link during an overlapping second SP).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a TWT response to indicate the agreement/availability of the first STA on the first link during a first SP and the agreement/availability of the second STA on the second link during an overlapping second SP as taught by Seok with the method receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first SP associated with the TWT process and transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP and the availability of the second station during the second SP as disclosed by Naik for the purpose of improving TWT operations, as suggested by Seok.
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses receiving, using the first STA on the first link, a trigger frame (an initial control frame/trigger frame) from the second MLD during the first SP ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches receiving a trigger frame from the MLD during the first SP1); and transmitting, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame to the second MLD during the first SP ([0088]; [0130]; [0152]; [0162]; teaches transmitting data on the first link during the first SP).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses receiving, using the second STA on the second link, a second initial control frame (an initial control frame/trigger frame) during the second SP ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process); transmitting, using the second STA on the second link, a second response (response frame) to the second initial control frame to indicate an availability of the second STA on the second link during the second SP associated with the multi-link TWT process ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2); and receiving, using the second STA on the second link, a second data frame from the second MILD during the second SP associated with the multi-link TWT process ([0088]; [0130]; [0152]; [0162]; teaches transmitting data on the first link during the first SP).
Regarding claim 4, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses wherein the response to the initial control frame indicates that the second STA on the second link is unavailable and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, using the first STA on the first link, a second initial control frame during the first SP ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process); transmit, using the first STA on the first link, a second response to the second initial control frame to indicate the availability of the first STA on the first link ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2); and receive, using the first STA on the first link, a second data frame from the second MLD during the first SP ([0088]; [0130]; [0152]; [0162]; teaches transmitting data on the first link during the first SP).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses receiving, using the first STA on the first link, a trigger frame (an initial control frame/trigger frame) from the second MLD during the first SP ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches receiving a trigger frame from the MLD during the first SP1); and transmitting, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame to the second MLD during the first SP, wherein the data frame comprises a TWT information frame indicating the availability of the first STA during a rest of the SP and the availability of the second STA during a rest of the second SP ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses receiving, using the first STA on the first link, a trigger frame from the second MLD during the first SP; and transmitting, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame to the second MLD during the first SP, wherein the data frame comprises a TWT information frame indicating one or more other SPs associated with the multi-link TWT process after the first SP is suspended ([0039]; [0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0143]; teaches receiving a trigger frame from the ML during the first SP1 and transmitting data during the SP1 and indicating other SPs after the first SP is suspended).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses receiving, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame from the second MLD during the first SP ([0088]; [0130]; [0152]; [0162]; teaches transmitting data on the first link during the first SP), wherein the data frame comprises a TWT information frame indicating that the second MLD is unavailable on the first link; and in response to the reception of the TWT information frame, transitioning the first STA to a power save mode ([0122]; [0125]; [0131]; [0158]; [0159]; teaches indicting the MLD is unavailable on the first link and transmitting a response when the first station transitions to a power saving mode).
Regarding claim 9, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses wherein: the MLD is operating in an enhanced multi-link single radio (E-LSR) operation mode, a simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) operation mode, or a non-simultaneous transmit and receive (NSTR) operation mode, the availability of the first STA on the first link includes at least one of the availability of the first STA to receive the initial control frame or the availability of the first STA to receive downlink (DL) data on the first link during the first SP, and the initial control frame is different from the DL data ([0034]; [0036]; [0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches the MLD operating in ELSR or NSTR and indicating the availability of the station on the link).
Regarding claim 11, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses wherein the multi-link TWT process comprises the first SP associated with the first link and the second SP, wherein a time duration for the first SP and the second SP is determined based on a first quality of service of the first link and a second quality of service of the second link ([0082]; [0108]; [0130]; [0143]; teaches time duration of the first and second SP based on quality of service).
Regarding claim 18, Naik teaches and discloses a multi-link device (MLD) (MLD, 520, figure 5), comprising:
a first station (STA) (STA, 522, figure 5) associated with a first link (link, 502, figure 5) of a wireless network (wireless network, figures 1 and 5) and configured to communicate with a second MLD (MLD, 510, figure 5) over the first link using a multi-link target wake time (TWT) process ([0036]; [0066]; [0067]; teaches a MLD comprising a first and second station communicating with another MLD over a first and second link using TWT process);
a second STA (STA, 524, figure 5) associated with a second link (link, 504, figure 5) of the wireless network (wireless network, figures 1 and 5) and configured to communicate with the second MLD (MLD, 510, figure 5) over the second link using the multi-link TWT process ([0036]; [0066]; [0067]; teaches a MLD comprising a first and second station communicating with another MLD over a first and second link using TWT process); and
one or more processors (processor, figure 2) communicatively coupled to the first and second STAs and configured to transmit, using the first STA on the first link, a TWT information frame to the second MLD during a first service period (SP) (SP1, figures 10B and 11A) associated with the multi-link TWT process ([0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0164]; teaches transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2).
However, Naik may not explicitly disclose wherein the TWT information frame indicates availability of the first STA during a rest of the first SP and availability of the second STA during a rest of a second SP associated with the multi-link TWT process.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Seok teaches and suggests wherein the TWT information frame (TWT response) indicates availability of the first STA (first STA, figure 1) during a rest of the first SP (first TWT SP) and availability of the second STA (second STA, figure 1) during a rest of a second SP (second TWT SP) associated with the multi-link TWT process (abstract; [0004]; “…the concept of concurrent TWT agreements pertains to TWT agreements that are established on more than one link between an access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) and a non-AP MLD, with the TWP service periods (SPs) of the TWT agreements overlapped in time…”; [0027]; [0029]; [0044]; teaches a TWT response to indicate the agreement/availability of the first STA on the first link during a first SP and the agreement/availability of the second STA on the second link during an overlapping second SP).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a TWT response to indicate the agreement/availability of the first STA on the first link during a first SP and the agreement/availability of the second STA on the second link during an overlapping second SP as taught by Seok with the method receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first SP associated with the TWT process and transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP and the availability of the second station during the second SP as disclosed by Naik for the purpose of improving TWT operations, as suggested by Seok.
Regarding claim 19, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses wherein the TWT information frame further indicate one or more other SPs associated with the multi-link TWT process after the first SP is suspended ([0039]; [0124]; [0125]; [0131]; [0133]; [0143]; teaches receiving a trigger frame from the ML during the first SP1 and transmitting data during the SP1 and indicating other SPs after the first SP is suspended).
Regarding claim 20, Naik, as modified by Seok, further teaches and discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame from the second MLD during the first SP ([0088]; [0130]; [0152]; [0162]; teaches transmitting data on the first link during the first SP), wherein the data frame comprises a second TWT information frame indicating that the second MLD is unavailable on the first link; and in response to the reception of the TWT information frame, transition the first STA to a power save mode ([0122]; [0125]; [0131]; [0158]; [0159]; teaches indicting the MLD is unavailable on the first link and transmitting a response when the first station transitions to a power saving mode).
Claims 7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAIK et al. (hereinafter Naik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0340788 A1) in view of Seok et al. (hereinafter Seok) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0262603 A1), and further in view of Kim (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0381428 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Naik, as modified by Seok, discloses receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process and transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2, but may not explicitly disclose receive, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame from the second MLD during the first SP; determine that an End Of Service Period (EOSP) field in a media access control (MAC) header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the data frame is set to a first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the first SP; and in response to the determination, transition the first STA and the second STA to a power save mode.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches and suggests receive, using the first STA on the first link, a data frame from the second MLD during the first SP; determine that an End Of Service Period (EOSP) field in a media access control (MAC) header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the data frame is set to a first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the first SP; and in response to the determination, transition the first STA and the second STA to a power save mode ([0070]; [0102]; [0103]; [0107]; teaches receiving a data frame from the AP MLD and determining an EOSP field and transitioning to a power saving mode based on the determination).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate receiving a data frame from the AP MLD and determining an EOSP field and transitioning to a power saving mode based on the determination as taught by Kim with the method and device for indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP and the availability of the second station during the second SP as disclosed by Naik, as modified by Seok, for the purpose of satisfying low-latency requirements for enhancing communication performance, as suggested by Kim.
Regarding claim 10, Naik, as modified by Seok, discloses receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process and transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2, but may not explicitly disclose receive, using the first STA on the first link, a first data frame from the second MLD during the first SP; receive, using the second STA on the second link, a second data frame from the second MLD during the second SP; determine that a first End Of Service Period (EOSP) field in a first media access control (MAC) header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the first data frame is set to a first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the first SP; transition the first STA to a power save mode; determine that a second EOSP field in a second MAC header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the second data frame is set to the first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the second SP; and transition the second STA to the power save mode.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Kim teaches and suggests receive, using the first STA on the first link, a first data frame from the second MLD during the first SP; receive, using the second STA on the second link, a second data frame from the second MLD during the second SP; determine that a first End Of Service Period (EOSP) field in a first media access control (MAC) header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the first data frame is set to a first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the first SP; transition the first STA to a power save mode; determine that a second EOSP field in a second MAC header associated with a last one of one or more packets of the second data frame is set to the first value to indicate that no more packets will be transmitted within the second SP; and transition the second STA to the power save mode ([0070]; [0102]; [0103]; [0107]; teaches receiving a data frame from the AP MLD and determining an EOSP field and transitioning to a power saving mode based on the determination).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate receiving a data frame from the AP MLD and determining an EOSP field and transitioning to a power saving mode based on the determination as taught by Kim with the method and device for indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP and the availability of the second station during the second SP as disclosed by Naik, as modified by Seok, for the purpose of satisfying low-latency requirements for enhancing communication performance, as suggested by Kim.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NAIK et al. (hereinafter Naik) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2024/0340788 A1) in view of Seok et al. (hereinafter Seok) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0262603 A1), and further in view of Shafin et al. (hereinafter Shafin) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0328654 A1).
Regarding claim 21, Naik, as modified by Seok, discloses receiving an initial control frame/trigger frame during the first service period, SP1, associated with the TWT process and transmitting a response to the initial control frame/trigger frame indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP1 and the availability of the second station during the second SP2, but may not explicitly disclose wherein a start of the second SP occurs within ±30 us of a start of the first SP.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Shafin teaches and suggests wherein a start of the second SP occurs within ±30 us of a start of the first SP ([0199]; teaches a margin from a start of the second SP and the start of the first SP).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a margin from a start of the second SP and the start of the first SP as taught by Shafin with the method and device for indicating the availability of the first station during the first SP and the availability of the second station during the second SP as disclosed by Naik, as modified by Seok, for the purpose of satisfying low-latency requirements for enhancing communication performance, as suggested by Shafin.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed January 30, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-5 and 7-21 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Seok et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2023/0262603 A1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure.
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
May 27, 2026
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