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 1-18 are pending in this office action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 10/27/2025 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
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 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al (US 2023/0308938 A1) in view of Chu et al (US 2022/0029736 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).
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.
Chu teaches 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 (Chu: [0043]-[0054], an non-AP MLD working in eMLSR mode switches to another link to monitor/listen the link).
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 as disclosed by Chu to provide a system of eMLSR and eMLMR operation (Chu: 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 after the frame transmission and reception procedure (Sun: Fig. 15; [0168], AP 1507 transmits ML TF 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 transmitting a second initial control frame to the first device on one link among the multiple links after the frame transmission and reception procedure, wherein the first device is switched to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links after the delay time based on the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure.
Chu teaches transmitting a second initial control frame to the first device on one link among the multiple links after the frame transmission and reception procedure, wherein the first device is switched to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links after the delay time based on the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure (Chu: [0043]-[0054], an non-AP MLD working in eMLSR mode switches to another link to monitor/listen the link).
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 transmitting a second initial control frame to the first device on one link among the multiple links after the frame transmission and reception procedure, wherein the first device is switched to a listening mode on at least one link among the multiple links after the delay time based on the completion of the frame transmission and reception procedure as disclosed by Chu to provide a system of eMLSR and eMLMR operation (Chu: 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).
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.
Chu teaches 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 (Chu: [0043]-[0054], an non-AP MLD working in eMLSR mode switches to another link to monitor/listen the link).
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 as disclosed by Chu to provide a system of eMLSR and eMLMR operation (Chu: 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 Chu teaches wherein the first device supports an enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) mode (Chu: [0053]-[0054]), 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 (Chu: [0053]-[0054]).
Regarding claims 6, 12 and 16, Sun in view of Chu teaches further comprising: receiving a second initial control frame from the second device through a second link among the one or more links in the listening mode after the delay time (Sun: Fig. 15; [0164]-[0168], AP 1507 transmit TF 1514 and 1518).
Regarding claims 17 and 18, Sun in view of Chu teaches wherein the first initial control frame comprises a multi user-request-to-send (MU-RTS) trigger frame (Chu: [0075], [0078]).
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.
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/KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478