DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Amendment filed 12/23/2025. Claims 5, 14, and 19-20 have been previously canceled. Claims 1-4, 6-13, 15-18, and 21-24 are currently pending in the application.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Independent claim 1 has been amended to include a limitation that states “the first message frame comprises information identifying a multiple resource unit supported for using dual carrier modulation, the multiple resource unit at least comprising first single-type resource unit and a second single-type resource unit, and the first single-type resource unit and the second single-type resource unit have different quantities of tones”. Other independent claims have been amended to include similar limitations. Applicant notes that previously cited Kim et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0337546 A1) discloses indicating whether or not dual carrier modulation, DCM, is used via a STA-ID subfield value (See paragraph 122 of Kim et al.). Applicant argues that although Kim et al. does teach indicating the use of DCM, Kim neither involves whether the multiple resource unit is supported in a scenario of dual-carrier modulation, nor involves the types of multiple resource unit supported in the scenario of dual-carrier modulation.
In response to this argument, it is first noted that the amended claim limitation states “information identifying a multiple resource unit supported for using dual carrier modulation”. The phrase “for using dual carrier modulation” is an intended use of the multiple resource unit. Intended use does not provide a positively stated claim limitation. Further, even if the intended use of “for using dual carrier modulation” was positively stated, Kim et al. clearly discloses this intended use, as discussed above (See paragraph 118 and paragraph 122 of Kim et al. for reference to indicating use of DCM). Kim et al. also discloses defining various multiple RUs supported including multiple RUs having a RU52+RU26 tone, a RU106+RU26 tone, a RU484+RU242 tone, a RU996+RU484 tone, a 2xRU996+RU484 tone, a 3xRU966 tone, and a 3xRU996+RU484 tone (See paragraph 215 and Figure 23 of Kim et al.). Thus, Kim et al. discloses the claimed supported multiple resource units comprising first and second single-type resource units having different quantities of tones. Since, Kim et al. also discloses the intended use of dual carrier modulation, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the defined supported multiple RUs of Kim et al. are applied to this intended use of dual carrier modulation. Therefore, Kim et al. does disclose an equivalent of the amended claim limitations, and rejections based on the teachings of Kim et al. are maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 9-13, 18, and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (U.S. Publication US 2021/0337546 A1).
With respect to claims 1, 21, and 23, Kim et al. discloses an electronic device, comprising a memory, i.e. a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory an capable of running on the processor, when the computer program is executed by the processor implements a communication method (See paragraph 55, paragraphs 58-59, paragraphs 69-73, and Figures 1-2 of Kim et al. for reference to a wireless communication device preforming a method of transmitting a PPDU and comprising, a memory, a main processor, and computer programs stored on the memory executed by the processor). Kim et al. also discloses determining a first message frame, wherein the first message frame comprises information identifying a multiple resource unit supported for using dual carrier modulation, the multiple resource unit at least comprising first single-type resource unit and a second single-type resource unit, and the first single-type resource unit and the second single-type resource unit have different quantities of tones (See paragraphs 58-59, paragraph 118, paragraph 215, paragraphs 217-220, and Figures 10, 23, and 24A-C of Kim et al. for reference to determining that dual carrier modulation is used based on a DCM subfield, for reference to determining a PPDU for transmission, and for reference to the PPDU also including a RU allocation subfield with bits set indicating single RUs and multi-RUs supported, wherein the multi-RUs may have resource units of different quantities of tones). Kim et al. further discloses sending the first message frame (See paragraphs 58-59 and Figure 1 of Kim et al. for reference to transmitting the PPDU). Kim et al. also discloses wherein the multiple resource unit comprises at least one of: 52+26-tone; 106+26-tone; 484+242-tone; 996+484-tone; 996+484+242-tone; 2x996+484-tone; 3x996-tone; or 3x996+484-tone (See paragraph 215 and Figure 23 of Kim et al. for reference to defining various multiple RUs supported including multiple RUs having a RU52+RU26 tone, a RU106+RU26 tone, a RU484+RU242 tone, a RU996+RU484 tone, a 2xRU996+RU484 tone, a 3xRU966 tone, and a 3xRU996+RU484 tone).
With respect to claims 10, 22, and 24, Kim et al. discloses an electronic device, comprising a memory, i.e. a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, a processor, and a computer program stored on the memory an capable of running on the processor, when the computer program is executed by the processor implements a communication method (See paragraph 55, paragraphs 58-59, paragraphs 69-73, and Figures 1-2 of Kim et al. for reference to a wireless communication device preforming a method of receiving a PPDU and comprising, a memory, a main processor, and computer programs stored on the memory executed by the processor). Kim et al. also discloses receiving a first message frame, wherein the first message frame comprises information identifying a multiple resource unit supported for using dual carrier modulation, the multiple resource unit at least comprising first single-type resource unit and a second single-type resource unit, and the first single-type resource unit and the second single-type resource unit have different quantities of tones (See paragraphs 58-59, paragraph 118, paragraphs 217-220, and Figures 10 and 24A-C of Kim et al. for reference to determining that dual carrier modulation is used based on a DCM subfield, for reference to receiving a PPDU, and for reference to the PPDU also including a RU allocation subfield with bits set indicating single RUs and multi-RUs supported, wherein the multi-RUs may have resource units of different quantities of tones). Kim et al. further discloses executing a communication operation based on the first message frame (See paragraph 80 of Kim et al. for reference to decoding the received PPDU). Kim et al. also discloses wherein the multiple resource unit comprises at least one of: 52+26-tone; 106+26-tone; 484+242-tone; 996+484-tone; 996+484+242-tone; 2x996+484-tone; 3x996-tone; or 3x996+484-tone (See paragraph 215 and Figure 23 of Kim et al. for reference to defining various multiple RUs supported including multiple RUs having a RU52+RU26 tone, a RU106+RU26 tone, a RU484+RU242 tone, a RU996+RU484 tone, a 2xRU996+RU484 tone, a 3xRU966 tone, and a 3xRU996+RU484 tone).
With respect to claims 2 and 11, Kim et al. discloses wherein the information is identified by a plurality of bits (See paragraphs 217-220 and Figures 24A-C for reference to the maximum single RUs and multi-RUs being indicated by bits of an RU allocation subfield).
With respect to claims 3 and 12, Kim et al. discloses wherein a first part in the plurality of bits is used for identifying a supported single-type resource unit, and a second part in the plurality of bits is used for identifying the supported multiple resource unit (See paragraphs 217-220 and Figures 24A-C for reference to the maximum single RUs and multi-RUs being indicated by different bits of an RU allocation subfield).
With respect to claims 4 and 13, Kim et al. discloses wherein both the first part and the second part in the plurality of bits are comprised in a first capability information element of the first message frame; or a first bit in the first part used for identifying the supported first single-type resource unit and the second part are both comprised in a-the first capability information element of the first message frame (See paragraph 75, paragraphs 217-220, and Figures 24A-C of Kim et al. for reference to the signaling related to the RU allocation being in a control field, i.e. an HE-SIG or EHT-SIG, which is a first capability information element, and for reference to both the maximum single RUs and multi-RUs being indicated by bits of the RU allocation subfield).
With respect to claims 9 and 18, Kim et al. discloses wherein the first capability information element is an extreme high-throughput physical layer capability information element, and a second capability information element is a high efficiency physical layer capability information element (See paragraph 75 of Kim et al. for reference to the control fields being an HE-SIG and EHT-SIG of the PPDU).
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 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. in view of Wu et al. (U.S. Publication US 2022/0132371 A1).
With respect to claims 8 and 17, although Kim et al. does disclose indicated supported single RUs including a 996-subcarrier RU (See paragraph 148 of Kim et al.), Kim et al. does not specifically disclose a supported single RU being a 4*996-tone. However, Wu et al., in the field of communications, discloses a given RU allocation being up to a 4*996-tone RU (See paragraphs 62-63 of Wu et al.). Using a 4*996-tone RU has the advantage of increasing the bandwidth of the allocated RU. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filing, when presented with the work of Wu et al., to combine using a 4*996-tone RU, as suggested by Wu et al., within the system and method of Kim et al., with the motivation being to increase the bandwidth of the allocated RU.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 15-16 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated any new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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/JASON E MATTIS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461