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 1-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8, 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the fourth signal field" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the third signal field" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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, 12-13, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Baek et al. (US# 2025/0193789 hereinafter referred to as Baek).
RE Claim 1¸ Baek discloses an electronic device for facilitating wireless communication (See Baek FIG 1), comprising processing circuitry configured to cause:
performing a restricted target wake time (TWT) setup with an access point to specify a restricted TWT service period (See Baek [0196], [0253] – performing R-TWT setup with AP; AP announces R-TWT SP (service period)) for delivery of latency sensitive traffic (See Baek [0196], [0253] – for low latency traffic) and specify first latency sensitive traffic status information in a downlink direction and second latency sensitive traffic status information in an uplink direction (See Baek FIG 14; [0196], [0198], [0253] – exchange awake/doze status; TWT request/response frame has status information (i.e. for both downlink and uplink));
receiving a frame from the access point during the restricted TWT service period, wherein the frame includes information for updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink (See Baek [0198] – an AP which had already confirmed a status of STA may transmit DL MU PPDU to wake STAs; trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data); and
updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink (See Baek [0198] – trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data).
RE Claim 12, Baek discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the frame further includes an identifier field indicating a TWT service period related to the first latency sensitive traffic status information (See Baek [0009], [0196] – sharing information about TWT SP).
RE Claim 13¸ Baek discloses a method performed by processing circuitry of an electronic device for facilitating wireless communication (See Baek FIG 1), comprising:
performing a restricted target wake time (TWT) setup with an access point to specify a restricted TWT service period (See Baek [0196], [0253] – performing R-TWT setup with AP; AP announces R-TWT SP (service period)) for delivery of latency sensitive traffic (See Baek [0196], [0253] – for low latency traffic) and specify first latency sensitive traffic status information in a downlink direction and second latency sensitive traffic status information in an uplink direction (See Baek FIG 14; [0196], [0198], [0253] – exchange awake/doze status; TWT request/response frame has status information (i.e. for both downlink and uplink));
receiving a frame from the access point during the restricted TWT service period, wherein the frame includes information for updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink (See Baek [0198] – an AP which had already confirmed a status of STA may transmit DL MU PPDU to wake STAs; trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data); and
updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink (See Baek [0198] – trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data).
RE Claim 17¸ Baek discloses an electronic device for facilitating wireless communication (See Baek FIG 1), comprising processing circuitry configured to cause:
performing a restricted target wake time (TWT) setup with a station to specify a restricted TWT service period (See Baek [0196], [0253] – STA performing R-TWT setup with AP; AP announces R-TWT SP (service period)) for delivery of latency sensitive traffic (See Baek [0196], [0253] – for low latency traffic) and specify first latency sensitive traffic status information in a downlink direction and second latency sensitive traffic status information in an uplink direction (See Baek FIG 14; [0196], [0198], [0253] – exchange awake/doze status; TWT request/response frame has status information (i.e. for both downlink and uplink));
generating a frame including information for updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink (See Baek [0198] – an AP which had already confirmed a status of STA may transmit DL MU PPDU to wake STAs; trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data); and
transmitting the frame to the station during the restricted TWT service period (See Baek [0198] – trigger frame may inform STAs that AP has buffered data).
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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.
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.
Claims 2-4, 6-8, 14-16, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US# 2025/0193789 hereinafter referred to as Baek) in view of Xin et al. (US# 2023/0047705 hereinafter referred to as Xin).
RE Claim 2, Baek discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above. Baek does not specifically disclose wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction.
However, Xin teaches of wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] - AP1 sends BSRP to STA1 to request buffer status using PPDU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction, as taught in Xin. One is motivated as such in order to improve efficiency and fair use (See Xin Background; Summary).
RE Claim 3¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 2 above, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause:
checking the enable field (See Xin [0253], [0295] - AP1 sends BSRP to STA1 to request buffer status using PPDU); and
when the enable field indicates that a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] – when STA1 requested to transmit buffer status using PPDU), transmitting, in response to the frame, a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) (See Baek [0198] – STA sends PPDU frame to update status) including information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Baek [0106], [0113] – transmission/reception is done using PPDU frame), wherein the PPDU includes no data field (See Baek [0113], [0198] – uses Null frame to indicate status; NDP doesn’t include data field).
RE Claim 4¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 3 above, wherein the PPDU includes a PHY preamble (See Baek [0105] – PDDU including PHY preamble) including a first short training field (STF) (See Baek [0107] – STF) corresponding to a non-high-throughput (Non-HT) short training field (L-STF) (See Baek [0115]), a first long training field (LTF) corresponding to a Non-HT long training field (L-LTF) (See Baek [0115]), a first signal field corresponding to a Non-HT signal (L-SIG) field (See Baek [0115]), a second signal field corresponding to a repeated Non-HT signal (RL-SIG) field (See Baek [0118]), and a third signal field corresponding to a universal signal (U-SIG) field (See Baek [0157], [0162]).
RE Claim 6¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the frame further includes a resource unit which is used for the electronic device to transmit the PPDU, the PPDU is transmitted through the resource unit (See Baek [0120], [0130] – RUs for PPDU).
RE Claim 7¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the PPDU further includes a fourth signal field following the third signal field, the fourth signal field includes data (See Baek FIG 18; [0233] – i.e. TWT channel subfield).
RE Claim 8¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the data in the fourth signal field is under a TWT agreement established before updating the first latency sensitive traffic status information and the second latency sensitive traffic status information (See Baek FIG 18; [0233] – i.e. TWT channel subfield representing allowed channels).
RE Claim 14, Baek discloses a method, as set forth in claim 13 above. Baek does not specifically disclose wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction.
However, Xin teaches of wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] - AP1 sends BSRP to STA1 to request buffer status using PPDU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction, as taught in Xin. One is motivated as such in order to improve efficiency and fair use (See Xin Background; Summary).
RE Claim 15¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses a method, as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause:
checking the enable field (See Xin [0253], [0295] - AP1 sends BSRP to STA1 to request buffer status using PPDU); and
when the enable field indicates that a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] – when STA1 requested to transmit buffer status using PPDU), transmitting, in response to the frame, a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) (See Baek [0198] – STA sends PPDU frame to update status) including information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Baek [0106], [0113] – transmission/reception is done using PPDU frame), wherein the PPDU includes no data field (See Baek [0113], [0198] – uses Null frame to indicate status; NDP doesn’t include data field).
RE Claim 16¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses a method, as set forth in claim 15 above, wherein the PPDU includes a PHY preamble (See Baek [0105] – PDDU including PHY preamble) including a first short training field (STF) (See Baek [0107] – STF) corresponding to a non-high-throughput (Non-HT) short training field (L-STF) (See Baek [0115]), a first long training field (LTF) corresponding to a Non-HT long training field (L-LTF) (See Baek [0115]), a first signal field corresponding to a Non-HT signal (L-SIG) field (See Baek [0115]), a second signal field corresponding to a repeated Non-HT signal (RL-SIG) field (See Baek [0118]), and a third signal field corresponding to a universal signal (U-SIG) field (See Baek [0157], [0162]).
RE Claim 18, Baek discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 17 above. Baek does not specifically disclose wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction.
However, Xin teaches of wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] - AP1 sends BSRP to STA1 to request buffer status using PPDU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, wherein the frame further includes an enable field indicating whether a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction, as taught in Xin. One is motivated as such in order to improve efficiency and fair use (See Xin Background; Summary).
RE Claim 19¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 18 above, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause:
when the enable field indicates that a receiver of the frame sends information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Xin [0253], [0295] – when STA1 requested to transmit buffer status using PPDU), receiving, in response to the frame, a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) (See Baek [0198] – STA sends PPDU frame to update status) including information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction (See Baek [0106], [0113] – transmission/reception is done using PPDU frame), wherein the PPDU includes no data field (See Baek [0113], [0198] – uses Null frame to indicate status; NDP doesn’t include data field).
RE Claim 20¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 19 above, wherein the PPDU includes a PHY preamble (See Baek [0105] – PDDU including PHY preamble) including a first short training field (STF) (See Baek [0107] – STF) corresponding to a non-high-throughput (Non-HT) short training field (L-STF) (See Baek [0115]), a first long training field (LTF) corresponding to a Non-HT long training field (L-LTF) (See Baek [0115]), a first signal field corresponding to a Non-HT signal (L-SIG) field (See Baek [0115]), a second signal field corresponding to a repeated Non-HT signal (RL-SIG) field (See Baek [0118]), and a third signal field corresponding to a universal signal (U-SIG) field (See Baek [0157], [0162]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US# 2025/0193789 hereinafter referred to as Baek) in view of Xin et al. (US# 2023/0047705 hereinafter referred to as Xin) and Hu et al. (US# 2022/0345937 hereinafter referred to as Hu).
RE Claim 5¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 4 above. Baek, modified by Xin, does not specifically disclose wherein the information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction is included in the third signal field.
However, Hu teaches of wherein the information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction is included in the third signal field (See Hu Abstract; Claim 1 – U-SIG field comprises mode indication and preamble puncturing status indication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, modified by Xin, wherein the information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink direction is included in the third signal field, as taught in Hu. One is motivated as such in order to help reduce signaling overhead (See Hu Background; Summary).
Claims 9, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (US# 2025/0193789 hereinafter referred to as Baek) in view of Xin et al. (US# 2023/0047705 hereinafter referred to as Xin) and Shafin et al. (US# 2022/0303907 hereinafter referred to as Shafin).
RE Claim 9¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 8 above, wherein the information for updating the second latency sensitive traffic status information in the uplink includes a second bitmap including a plurality of bits, each of the plurality of bits in the second bitmap is associated with a respective one of traffic identifiers (See Baek [0201], [0233] – using bitmap to identify traffic channels (DL and UL)).
Baek, modified by Xin, does not specifically disclose the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream.
However, Shafin teaches of the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream (See Shafin FIG 19; [0159] - The Broadcast DL TID Bitmap subfield 1902 and Broadcast UL TID Bitmap subfield 1904 indicate the TIDs that are identified by the TWT scheduling AP or TWT scheduled STA as the latency sensitive traffic streams in the downlink and uplink direction, respectively. In each of the Broadcast TWT DL and UL TID Bitmaps, a value of 1 in the position k indicates that the k.sup.th TID is identified as a latency-sensitive traffic stream).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, modified by Xin, comprising the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream, as taught in Shafin. One is motivated as such in order to improve the performance of latency sensitive traffic communication (See Shafin Background; Summary).
RE Claim 11¸ Baek, modified by Xin, discloses an electronic device, as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the first latency sensitive traffic status information in the downlink includes a first bitmap including a plurality of bits, each of the plurality of bits in the first bitmap is associated with a respective one of traffic identifiers (See Baek [0201], [0233] – using bitmap to identify traffic channels (DL and UL)).
Baek, modified by Xin, does not specifically disclose the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream.
However, Shafin teaches of the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream (See Shafin FIG 19; [0159] - The Broadcast DL TID Bitmap subfield 1902 and Broadcast UL TID Bitmap subfield 1904 indicate the TIDs that are identified by the TWT scheduling AP or TWT scheduled STA as the latency sensitive traffic streams in the downlink and uplink direction, respectively. In each of the Broadcast TWT DL and UL TID Bitmaps, a value of 1 in the position k indicates that the k.sup.th TID is identified as a latency-sensitive traffic stream).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to implement the restricted target wake time system, as disclosed in Baek, modified by Xin, comprising the bitmap indicating whether an associated traffic identifier is classified as latency sensitive traffic stream, as taught in Shafin. One is motivated as such in order to improve the performance of latency sensitive traffic communication (See Shafin Background; Summary).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steve R Young whose telephone number is (571)270-7518. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chirag G Shah can be reached at (571) 272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STEVE R YOUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477