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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s response, filed 12 June 2026, has been entered and carefully considered.
Claims 1-4, 6-11, 13-20 are amended.
Claims 5 and 12 are canceled.
Claims 21 and 22 are newly added.
Claims 1-4, 6-11 and 13-22 are currently pending.
The outstanding rejection of Claims 1-4, 6-11 and 13-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to Claims 1, 9 and 16.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 9 and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9 April 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, 13-18, 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xia et al (WIPO Publication 2022/118136), hereinafter Xia (already of record, cited on Applicant’s IDS filed September 17, 2024), in view of Xin (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2023/0262770), hereinafter Xin.
Regarding Claim 1, Xia discloses an apparatus for wireless communications (Figure 14, non-AP STA hardware setup), comprising:
at least one transceiver (Figure 14 – RF module 404 coupled to antennas 406a-406n; see also paragraph 00179)
at least one memory comprising executable instructions (paragraph 00178 and paragraph 00538, the station comprises an associated memory storing instructions that are executed by the processor);
one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions to cause the apparatus (paragraphs 00178 and 00538) to:
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, a first frame that includes a request associated with a shared transmission opportunity (TXOP) (Figure 46 and paragraphs 00380-00382, wherein a non-AP STA sends a Share Offer/Request frame (1512) to an AP indicating an offer/request for shared TXOP access);
receive, via the at least one transceiver, a second frame configured to trigger the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraph 00383, wherein the AP then sends a shareability frame (1518) to other transmitters in the BSS, as well as an AP in a different BSS, triggering the shared TXOP); and
communicate, via the at least one transceiver during the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraph 00384, the devices communicate using either NAV (share offer/req) or NAV (OBSS share)).
However, Xia does not disclose transmit, via the at least one transceiver during the shared TXOP, a third frame indicating a return of an unused portion of the shared TXOP. In an analogous art, Xin discloses this. Specifically, Xin discloses, at paragraph 0086 and Figure 6, it is determined if the AP has finished the transmission before the shared TXOP ends. If the condition is not met, then processing ends. Otherwise, with the condition met, it shares 218 the TXOP with, or returns the TXOP back to, the non-AP STA, before processing ends. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Xia and Xin. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow a terminal to begin communication prior to a target wake time service period, thereby reducing latency (see paragraphs 0012-0014 of Xin).
Claim 16 comprises the same limitations as Claim 1, claimed as a method. Therefore, Claim 16 is rejected using the same rationale as presented above regarding Claim 1.
Regarding Claims 2 and 17, Xia further discloses select(ing) a NAV setting, associated with the shared TXOP, from a plurality of NAV settings having different durations (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration (which can be set to a number of microseconds)); and includ(ing), in the request, a field that indicates the selected NAV setting (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, the number of microseconds is included in the transmitted frame).
Regarding Claims 3 and 18, Xia further discloses the shared TXOP has a first duration of the different durations (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration (which can be set to a number of microseconds) of the shared TXOP).
Regarding Claim 6, Xia further discloses the request requests the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraphs 00380-00382, wherein a non-AP STA sends a Share Offer/Request frame (1512) to an AP indicating an offer/request for shared TXOP access).
Regarding Claims 7 and 21, Xia further discloses the request requests that a NAV setting associated with the shared TXOP be applied for just the shared TXOP (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration of the shared TXOP (which can be set to a number of microseconds)), therefore meeting the claimed alternative limitation.
Regarding Claim 8, Xia further discloses the apparatus is configured to operate a wireless station (Figure 14 and paragraph 00177, non-AP STA hardware setup).
Regarding Claim 9, Xia discloses an apparatus for wireless communications (Figure 14 and paragraph 00178 – WLAN station operating as a first AP), comprising:
at least one transceiver (Figure 14 – RF module 404 coupled to antennas 406a-406n; see also paragraph 00179);
at least one memory comprising executable instructions (paragraph 00538, the station comprises an associated memory storing instructions that are executed by the processor);
one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions to cause the apparatus (paragraph 00538, the communication stations disclosed comprise one or more computer processor devices executing instructions stored by the memory) to:
receive, via the at least one transceiver, a first frame that includes a request associated with a shared transmission opportunity (TXOP) (Figure 46 and paragraphs 00380-00382, wherein a non-AP STA sends a Share Offer/Request frame (1512) to an AP indicating an offer/request for shared TXOP access);
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, a second frame configured to trigger the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraph 00383, wherein the AP then sends a shareability frame (1518) to other transmitters in the BSS, as well as an AP in a different BSS, triggering the shared TXOP); and
communicate, via the at least one transceiver, during the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraph 00384, the devices communicate using either NAV (share offer/req) or NAV (OBSS share)).
However, Xia does not disclose receive, via the at least one transceiver during the shared TXOP, a third frame indicating a return of an unused portion of the shared TXOP. In an analogous art, Xin discloses this. Specifically, Xin discloses, at paragraph 0086 and Figure 6, it is determined if the AP has finished the transmission before the shared TXOP ends. If the condition is not met, then processing ends. Otherwise, with the condition met, it shares 218 the TXOP with, or returns the TXOP back to, the non-AP STA, before processing ends. Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Xia and Xin. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow a terminal to begin communication prior to a target wake time service period, thereby reducing latency (see paragraphs 0012-0014 of Xin).
Regarding Claim 10, Xia discloses the request includes a field that indicates selection a network allocation vector (NAV) setting, associated with the shared TXOP, from a plurality of NAV settings having different durations (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration (which can be set to a number of microseconds)).
Regarding Claim 13, Xia further discloses the request requests the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraphs 00380-00382, wherein a non-AP STA sends a Share Offer/Request frame (1512) to an AP indicating an offer/request for shared TXOP access).
Regarding Claim 14, Xia further discloses the request requests that a NAV associated with the shared TXOP setting to be applied for just the shared TXOP (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration of the shared TXOP (which can be set to a number of microseconds)), therefore meeting the claimed alternative limitation.
Regarding Claim 15, Xia further discloses the apparatus is configured to operate as an access point (Figure 14 and paragraph 00178).
Regarding Claim 20, Xia further discloses the request requests the shared TXOP (Figure 46 and paragraphs 00380-00382, wherein a non-AP STA sends a Share Offer/Request frame (1512) to an AP indicating an offer/request for shared TXOP access).
Claims 4, 11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia in view of Xin as applied to Claims 3, 10 and 18 above, and further in view of Xin et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2021/0007016), hereinafter Xin016.
Regarding Claims 4 and 19, the combination of Xia and Xin discloses the limitations of Claims 3 and 18, as described above. Xia further discloses receiving, via the at least one transceiver, one or more signals after expiration of the NAV (Figure 46, wherein after the NAV periods end, the AP receives further signals (e.g., request 1536)). However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the selected NAV setting indicates a second duration that is shorter than a first duration and, to communicate during the shared TXOP, the one or more processors are configured to cause the apparatus to communicate based on a NAV that has the second duration indicated by the selected NAV setting. In an analogous art, Xin016 discloses this. Specifically, Xin016 discloses a station sending a CTS either with a short NAV (duration field in the frame to shorten the channel occupancy) (paragraph 0231) or a full NAV (paragraph 0228)). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Xia / Xin and Xin016. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce a probability of packet collisions (see paragraph 0008 of Xin016).
Regarding Claim 11, the combination of Xia and Xin discloses the limitations of Claim 10, as described above. Xia further discloses the shared TXOP is associated with at least a first duration of the different durations (Figures 77-78 and paragraphs 00507-00508, wherein the Share Offer/Request and Share Offer/Request Info frame formats comprise a duration (which can be set to a number of microseconds) of the shared TXOP). However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the selected NAV setting indicates a second duration that is shorter than the first duration associated with the shared TXOP. In an analogous art, Xin016 discloses this. Specifically, Xin016 discloses a station sending a CTS either with a short NAV (duration field in the frame to shorten the channel occupancy) (paragraph 0231) or a full NAV (paragraph 0228)). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Xia / Xin and Xin016. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce a probability of packet collisions (see paragraph 0008 of Xin016).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xia in view of Xin, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Erkucuk et al (United States Pre-Grant Publication 2025/0317791), hereinafter Erkucuk. The combination of Xia and Xin discloses the limitations of Claim 1, as described above. However, the aforementioned references do not disclose the first frame comprises a stream classification service (SCS) request frame. In an analogous art, Erkucuk discloses this. Specifically, Erkucuk discloses utilizing an SCS request and response procedure in order to determine a STA allocation for a TXOP obtained by the AP (refer to paragraphs 0170 and 0184, as well as Figures 12 and 13). Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Xia / Xin with Erkucuk. One would have been motivated to do so in order to allow a STA to request urgent transmission or suggested stream QoS parameters (refer to paragraph 0181 of Erkucuk).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW W. CHRISS whose telephone number is (571)272-1774. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kevin Bates can be reached at (571) 272-3980. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW W CHRISS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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