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 .
Claims 1-5, 7-15 and 17-18 are pending in this office.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 08/31/2026 have been considered but are not persuasive. The reasons are set forth below.
Applicant Argues:
On pages 7-8 of the remarks, applicant argues Kim further discloses performing channel access after completion of the RF chain switching and waiting for a predetermined time interval. See Kim, paragraph [0304]. Thus, Kim at most discloses RF chain switching between different links and certain channel-access operations following completion of the RF chain switching. However, Kim is silent on using completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure as a triggering event for the switching.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
Kim discloses in [0170] that the station switches to the second link and operates in the second after completion of the first link. In [0304] Kim discloses that the station performs channel access/listening in the second link after switching from the first link and after a switching delay.
Applicant Argues:
On page 8 of the remarks, applicant argues Kim at most describes switching an RF chain from one link to another and expressly indicates that monitoring on the link from which the RF chain is switched becomes unavailable. However, Kim is silent on switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
In [0304] Kim discloses that the station performs channel access/listening including channel monitoring in the second link after switching from the first link and after a switching delay.
Applicant Argues:
On pages 8-9 of the remarks, applicant argues the ML TF is a trigger frame transmitted as part of the existing frame exchange sequence and is not an initial control frame received after completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure while the device is in a listening mode for initiating a subsequent frame exchange sequence. Thus, Sun fails to teach or suggest "receiving a second initial control frame from the second device through one link among the one or more links in the listening mode after a delay time," as recited by claim 1.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
Sun discloses in Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168], that the station receives from the AP a frame TF 1510/first initial control frame and then the station receives the frame 1514/second initial control frame after transmitting the BSR 1512 and then switches into listening mode to receive the frame 1514.
Applicant Argues:
On pages 9-10 of the remarks, applicant argues claim 1 recites "wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on the one or more links after the delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure." Sun fails to teach or suggest the foregoing limitation of claim 1 and has not been cited as doing so. Kim fails to make up for the above deficiencies in Sun.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
In [0304] Kim discloses that the station performs channel access/listening including channel monitoring in the second link after switching from the first link and after a switching delay.
Applicant Argues:
On page 10 of the remarks, applicant argues claim 1 recites "wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the one or more links." Sun fails to teach or suggest the foregoing limitation of claim 1 and has not been cited as doing so. Kim fails to make up for the above deficiencies in Sun.
In response, the Examiner respectfully submits:
In Fig. 37 and [0304] Kim discloses that the station performs channel access/listening including channel monitoring in the second link after switching from the first link and after a switching delay.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7-15, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al (US 2023/0308938 A1) in view of Kim et al (US 2023/0309151 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Sun teaches an operation method of a first device supporting multiple links in a communication system (Sun: Fig. 15, device 1505), the operation method comprising:
receiving a first initial control frame from a second device through a first link among the multiple links (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164], device 1505 receiving BSRP TF 1510 on link 1501);
performing a frame transmission and reception procedure with the second device in the first link through which the first initial control frame is received (Sun: Fig. 15; [0167], device 1505 transmits BSR 1512 to AP 1507);
receiving a second initial control frame from the second device through one link among the one or more links in the listening mode after a delay time (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168], the station receives from the AP a frame TF 1510/first initial control frame and then the station receives the frame 1514/second initial control frame after transmitting the BSR 1512 and then switches into listening mode to receive the frame 1514).
Although Sun teaches operating in a listening mode in one or more links among the multiple links a delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Sun: Fig. 15; [0168], device 1505 receives for ML TF 1514 after completing of the BSR transmission), Sun does not explicitly disclose switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links after a delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure.
Kim teaches switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], the MLD device switching to Link 2 in listening mode in performing channel access),
wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on the one or more links after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the one or more links (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], [0304] performing the switching and operating in channel access/listening mode after a switching delay).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun by switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links after s delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on the one or more links after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the one or more links as disclosed by Chu to provide a system for a device performing multi-link communication (Kim: Abstract).
Regarding claim 7, Sun teaches an operation method of a second device supporting multiple links in a communication system (Sun: Fig. 15, AP 1507), the operation method comprising:
transmitting a first initial control frame to a first device through a first link among the multiple links (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164], AP 1507 transmits BSRP TF 1510 on link 1501);
performing a frame transmission and reception procedure with the first device in the first link through which the first initial control frame is transmitted (Sun: Fig. 15; [0167], AP 1507 receives BSR 1512 from device 1505); and
transmitting a second initial control frame to the first device on one link among the multiple links the first device switched to a listening mode (the station receives from the AP a frame TF 1510/first initial control frame and then the station receives the frame 1514/second initial control frame after transmitting the BSR 1512 and then switches into listening mode to receive the frame 1514).
Although Sun teaches operating in a listening mode in one or more links among the multiple links a delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Sun: Fig. 15; [0168], device 1505 receives for ML TF 1514 after completing of the BSR transmission), Sun does not explicitly disclose wherein the first device switches to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links based on completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and operates in the listening mode on the at least one link after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the at least one link.
Kim teaches wherein the first device switches to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links based on completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and operates in the listening mode on the at least one link after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], the MLD device switching to Link 2 in listening mode in performing channel access; Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], [0304] performing the switching and operating in channel access/listening mode after a switching delay),
and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the at least one link (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304]).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun wherein the first device switches to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links based on completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and operates in the listening mode on the at least one link after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the at least one link as disclosed by Chu to provide a system for a device performing multi-link communication (Kim: Abstract).
Regarding claim 11, Sun teaches a first device supporting multiple links in a communication system (Sun: Fig. 15, device 1505), comprising: a processor; and a memory storing one or more instructions executable by the processor, wherein the one or more instructions are executed to perform:
receiving a first initial control frame from a second device through a first link among the multiple links (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164], device 1505 receiving BSRP TF 1510 on link 1501);
performing a frame transmission and reception procedure with the second device in the first link through which the first initial control frame is received (Sun: Fig. 15; [0167], device 1505 transmits BSR 1512 to AP 1507);
receiving a second initial control frame from the second device through one link among the one or more links in the listening mode after a delay time (the station receives from the AP a frame TF 1510/first initial control frame and then the station receives the frame 1514/second initial control frame after transmitting the BSR 1512 and then switches into listening mode to receive the frame 1514).
Although Sun teaches operating in a listening mode in one or more links among the multiple links a delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Sun: Fig. 15; [0168], device 1505 receives for ML TF 1514 after completing of the BSR transmission), Sun does not explicitly disclose switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links after a delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure.
Kim teaches switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], the MLD device switching to Link 2 in listening mode in performing channel access),
wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on the one or more links after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the one or more links (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304], [0304] performing the switching and operating in channel access/listening mode after a switching delay).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun by switching to a listening mode on one or more links among the multiple links after s delay time based on completing of the frame transmission and reception procedure wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on the one or more links after a delay time from the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure, and wherein the delay time is determined based on a time required by the first device to switch to the listening mode on the one or more links as disclosed by Chu to provide a system for a device performing multi-link communication (Kim: Abstract).
Regarding claims 2, 8 and 12, Sun teaches wherein the first initial control frame is a trigger frame (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168]).
Regarding claims 3, 9 and 13, Sun teaches wherein the trigger frame comprises a buffer status report poll (BSRP) trigger frame (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168]).
Regarding claims 4, 10 and 14, Sun teaches wherein the performing of the frame transmission and reception procedure further comprises: transmitting a buffer status report (BSR) to the second device, wherein information included in the BSR is information on traffic transmitted through the one or more links (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168]).
Regarding claims 5, 11 and 15, Sun in view of Kim teaches wherein the first device supports an enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) mode (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304] single-radio multi-link device), wherein the first device operates in the listening mode on EMLSR links comprising the one or more links after the delay time following completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Kim: Fig. 37; [0304]).
Regarding claims 17 and 18, Sun in view of Kim teaches wherein the first initial control frame comprises a multi user-request-to-send (MU-RTS) trigger frame (Kim: Fig. 37; [0326]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KODZOVI ACOLATSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 10 am to 6pm.
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/KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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