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 .
DETAILED ACTION
In the amendment filed January 20, 2026, claims 1-27 and 29 have been amended, claims 28 and 30 are canceled, new claims 31 and 32 are added and claims 1-27, 29, 31, and 32 are currently pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claim objections applicant’s arguments, see page 15 paragraph 1, filed January 20, 2026, with respect to claims 1-30 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim objections of claims 1-30 have been withdrawn.
Regarding 35 U.S.C. 112 applicant’s arguments, see page 15 paragraph 3, filed January 20, 2026, with respect to claims 1-30 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the 112 rejection has been withdrawn.
Regarding 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 applicant’s arguments, see page 15 paragraphs 5 - page 20, filed January 20, 2026, with respect to claims 1-8,11,14-18, 23 and 26-30 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8,11,14-18,23 and 26-30 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.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Hence a new ground of rejection is further made in view of Zhu (US Pub. No.: 2016/0105859).
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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7-8, 16, 26-27, 29 and 31-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (EP3843467A1), and further in view Zhu (US Pub. No.: 2016/0105859).
As per claim 1, Chen disclose A first wireless communication device (see Fig.1, Fig. 4, First wireless transceiving device 101), comprising:
a processing system (see Fig.1, Fig. 4, First wireless transceiving device 101 with a CPU/ a processor, see para. 0160) that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code (see Fig.1, First wireless transceiving device 101 with memory for storing code, see para. 0160), the processing system configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
communicate, with at least a second wireless communication device (see Fig.1, Fig. 4, Fig.8-9, Second wireless transceiving device 102) via a first wireless communication link (see Fig.1, Fig.8-9, First wireless link 104), one or more first packets associated with establishing a shared address corresponding to a group (see Fig.8-9, Device group identifier 103, for First Wireless transceiving device 101 and Second wireless transceiving device 102) of wireless communication devices including at least the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device (see Figure 3, Fig.8, paragraphs [0077]-[0081], e.g. paragraph [0079]: "...while the device group identifier is generated according to the core specification of Bluetooth / establishing a shared address with the group...'', see also para, 0114), and, establishing a first link identifier corresponding to the first wireless communication device (see Fig.9, Second Wireless link 105) and a second link identifier corresponding to the second wireless communication device (see Fig.9, Third Wireless Link 106), each of the first link identifier and the second link identifier associated with the shared address (see Figure 4, Fig.8-9. para. 0084-0086, the link identifier is considered to be the MAC addresses of the first and second wireless transceiving devices used for establishing the second and third wireless link. Since the first and second transceiving devices have established a first wireless link and a shared address, the two link identifiers are considered to be established with the group identifier, i.e. the shared address, see also para. 0114-0115, a mechanism of adding wireless transceiving devices to an established wireless transceiving device group is set, when the first wireless transceiving device 101 and the second wireless transceiving device 102 have constituted a wireless transceiving device group 10);
transmit, to a third wireless communication device as part of a connection setup procedure for both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, one or more second packets indicating the shared address, the first link identifier, and the second link identifier (see Figure 4, Data Source Device 20), Fig.8, Fig.9, paragraphs 0084-0088, 0115, the first wireless transceiving device uses the first wireless link to synchronize the link information of the second wireless link with the second wireless transceiving device. Thus the first and second link identifier and the group identifier must be transmitted, see also para. 0092, 0093, the first wireless transceiving device group 101 and the second wireless transceiving device group 102 further respectively transmit data 107 to the data source device 20); and
receive, from the second wireless communication device via the second wireless communication link, one or more third packets associated with the first link identifier (see Figure 4, paragraph 0085, 0015, the second wireless transceiving device 102 in the wireless transceiving device group 10 performs bidirectional data transmission with the data source device 20 by means of a third wireless link 106 based on the device group identifier 103).
Although, Chen disclose receive, from the second wireless communication device via the second wireless communication link, one or more third packets associated with the first link identifier;
Chen however does not explicitly disclose receive, from the third wireless communication device via a second wireless communication link established in accordance with the connection setup procedure using the shared address, one or more third packets indicating the first link identifier.
Zhu however disclose a first wireless communication device receive, from a third wireless communication device via a second wireless communication link established in accordance with a connection setup procedure using a shared address, one or more third packets indicating a first link identifier (see para. 0109, 0117-0120, 0171, 0176, identifier of the synchronization group and the identifier of the first terminal are included in an extension field of the SSDP packet; for example, SYNC-GROUP includes the identifier Group ID of the synchronization group and the identifier User ID of the first terminal, for example, a UUID, an IP address, a MAC address, a BT address, a link is associated with a respective address, Fig.7, para. 0221-0226, the terminal A sends the synchronization group create message in a multicast manner in the local area network, where the synchronization group create message carries an identifier of the synchronization group and an identifier of the terminal A, and the synchronization group join message sent by the terminal B includes the identifier of B and the identifier of the synchronization group, and the synchronization group join message multicasted {a second wireless communication link} by the terminal C {a third wireless communication device} includes the identifier of C/ a first link identifier, and the identifier of the synchronization group/ a shared address, and each terminal records the identifiers of the other terminals /link /address, to establish connections to the other terminals, see also Fig.8, para. 0229-0240).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of a first wireless communication device receive, from a third wireless communication device via a second wireless communication link established in accordance with a connection setup procedure using a shared address, one or more third packets indicating a first link identifier, as taught by Zhu, in the system of Chen, so as to provide a method for synchronizing content among terminals, so as to reduce manual operations of a user as much as possible and conveniently synchronize content among terminals, see Zhu, paragraphs 8-12.
As per claim 2, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Chen further disclose wherein, to communicate the one or more first packets with at least the second communication wireless device via the first wireless communication link, the processing system is further configured to cause the first wireless communication device to: transmit one or more of the one or more first packets to, and receiving one or more of the one or more first packets from, the second wireless communication device in accordance with a negotiation of the shared address with the second wireless communication device (see para. 0115, the paired wireless transceiving devices in the wireless transceiving device group 10 may synchronize the device group identifier 103 with the added wireless transceiving device 108 by the method of broadcasting or a wireless connection link, for the foregoing wireless connection link, the method of Bluetooth, WIFI is used).
As per claim 3, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Chen further disclose wherein, to communicate the one or more first packets with at least the second wireless communication device via the first wireless communication link, the processing system is further configured to cause the first wireless communication device to: transmit one or more of the one or more first packets to, and receiving one or more of the one or more first packets from, the second wireless communication device in accordance with an assignment of the first link identifier to the wireless communication device and the second link identifier to the second wireless communication device (see Fig.8, para. 0114-0115, second wireless transceiving device 102 have constituted a wireless transceiving device group 10, and an added wireless transceiving device 108 establishes a communication connection with 40 any one of the wireless transceiving devices in the wireless transceiving device group 10, then the device group identifier 103 is synchronized with the added wireless transceiving device 108, and the added wireless transceiving device 108 is added to the wireless transceiving device group 10).
As per claim 5, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Chen further disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit, to the wireless communication device, a fourth packet indicating the shared address and a power management state corresponding to the shared address (see Figure
4, e.g. paragraphs [0084-0086]: The first wireless transceiving device uses the first wireless
link to synchronize the link information of the second wireless link with the second wireless
transceiving device. Thus the first and second link identifier and the group identifier must be
transmitted. Since this information is shared after the establishment of the second wireless link,
the synchronization is considered to be "associated with" the establishment of the second wireless
communication link, see also para. 0110, 0113. 0132, 0154).
As per claim 7, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Chen further disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: communicate, with at least the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, one or more fourth packets in accordance with a negotiation of one or more of: one or more security keys associate with communication with the wireless communication device, a dynamic host configuration protocol address, or one or more address resolution protocol tables, wherein the wireless communication device establishes the second wireless communication link in accordance with the negotiation (see Fig.8, para. 0114-0115, second wireless transceiving device 102 have constituted a wireless transceiving device group 10, and an added wireless transceiving device 108 establishes a communication connection with 40 any one of the wireless transceiving devices in the wireless transceiving device group 10, then the device group identifier 103 is synchronized with the
added wireless transceiving device 108, and the added wireless transceiving device 108 is added to the wireless transceiving device group 10).
As per claim 8, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Chen further disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive, from the wireless communication device, information indicative of a schedule of communication time intervals corresponding to the first link identifier; and monitor the second wireless communication link in accordance with the schedule of the communication time intervals, wherein receiving the one or more third packets is in association with monitoring the second wireless communication link (see Fig.8, para. 0114-0115, second wireless transceiving device 102 have constituted a wireless transceiving device group 10, and an added wireless transceiving device 108 establishes a communication connection with 40 any one of the wireless transceiving devices in the wireless transceiving device group 10, then the device group identifier 103 is synchronized with the added wireless transceiving device 108, and the added wireless transceiving device 108 is added to the wireless transceiving device group 10).
As per claim 16, claim 16 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 26, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 16.
Chen further disclose wherein the first link identifier and the second link identifier are associated with a same channel access category (para. 0020-0025, any two wireless transceiving devices in the wireless transceiving device group are connected by means of a preset physical identifier, and the device group identifier and the physical identifier are used in a time-sharing manner according to a preset air interface protocol / a same channel access category, see also para. 0044-0048).
As per claim 27, claim 27 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 29, claim 29 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 31, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
Zhu further disclose wherein the shared address is a medium access control address of the first wireless communication device in accordance with the connection setup procedure for both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device being performed by the first wireless communication device (see Fig.7, para. 0126, 0221-0222, the terminal A sends the synchronization group create message in a multicast manner in the local area network, where the synchronization group create message carries an identifier of the synchronization group and an identifier of the terminal A, where the first terminal and the second terminal establish the connection using Bluetooth pairing, the first terminal and the second terminal exchange, using a BT connection, Wi-Fi configuration information, information such as a channel identifier, a MAC address);
Chen also disclose wherein the shared address is a medium access control address of the first wireless communication device in accordance with the connection setup procedure for both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device being performed by the first wireless communication device (see para. 0071, 0072, 0074-0075, the shared address is a medium access control address).
As per claim 32, claim 32 is rejected the same way as claim 31.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (EP3843467A1), in view of Zhu (US Pub. No.: 2016/0105859) and further in view of Valliappan et al. (US Pub. No.: 2015/0163753).
As per claim 4, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
The combination of Chen and Zhu however does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit, to the wireless communication device, a fourth packet in association with an establishment of a first block acknowledgment session between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device, the fourth packet including an indication of the first link identifier; and transmit, to the wireless communication device, one or more block acknowledgments associated with the one or more third packets.
Valliappan however disclose wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit, to the wireless communication device, a fourth packet in association with an establishment of a first block acknowledgment session between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device, the fourth packet including an indication of the first link identifier; and transmit, to the wireless communication device, one or more block acknowledgments associated with the one or more third packets (para. 0004, any frame sent to a group receiver address is required by various Wi-Fi standards to be sent at one of the rates in the Basic Rate Set, ensuring that all STAs in the BSS are able to properly decode it. Control frames such as request-to-send/clear-to-send (RTS/CTS) frames are also required by various Wi-Fi standards to be transmitted at one of the rates in the Basic Rate Set. Control response frames such as acknowledgement (ACK) or block ACK and CTS frames are also required by various Wi-Fi standards to be sent at one of the rates in the Basic Rate Set, but with a particular one-to-one mapping to the rate of the transmission prompting the response, see also para. 0034).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit, to the wireless communication device, a fourth packet in association with an establishment of a first block acknowledgment session between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device, the fourth packet including an indication of the first link identifier; and transmit, to the wireless communication device, one or more block acknowledgments associated with the one or more third packets, as taught by Valliappan, in the system of Chen and Zhu, so as to provide an improved Basic Rate Set management for more efficient rate and decoding requirements, see Valliappan, paragraphs 6-11.
Claims 11, 14, 17-18 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (EP3843467A1), in view of Zhu (US Pub. No.: 2016/0105859) and further in view of Batra et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0322788).
As per claim 11, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
The combination of Chen and Zhu however does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization; and establish the second wireless communication link with the wireless communication device using the shared address in accordance with the wireless communication device being capable of the quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization.
Batra however disclose wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization; and establish the second wireless communication link with the wireless communication device using the shared address in accordance with the wireless communication device being capable of the quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization (see para. 0031-0032, to maintain or improve a quality of communications (e.g., voice and audio data transmissions) between the earbuds and the source device, the primary earbud may become the secondary earbud, or vice versa, based on one or more conditions (e.g., a quality of service (QoS) associated with one or both earbuds, a range from the source device associated with one or both earbuds, a power level associated with one or both earbuds). Because the primary earbud stores the connection information in some cases, it may be beneficial for the primary earbud to transfer or indicate connection information to the secondary earbud in an efficient manner, to sustain or enhance the quality of the communications minimal overhead, power consumption, latency, etc. Further, in cases where both earbuds are capable of providing a connection to the source device (e.g., in cases where either earbud is capable of operating as the primary earbud), both earbuds may appear individually, to the source device, as being selectable for a connection).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive an indication that the wireless communication device is capable of quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization; and establish the second wireless communication link with the wireless communication device using the shared address in accordance with the wireless communication device being capable of the quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization, as taught by Batra, in the system of Chen and Zhu, so as to provide for improved selection or determination of primary and secondary roles amongst the Bluetooth devices, as well as improved address management in the topology of the three-device network, see Batra, paragraphs 5-8.
As per claim 14, the combination of Chen, Zhu and Batra disclose the wireless communication device of claim 1.
Batra further disclose wherein, to receive the indication that the wireless communication device is capable of the quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization, the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive a packet indicating that an end-to-end path between a traffic source device and the wireless communication device is capable of the quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization, wherein the wireless communication device is the traffic source device or another wireless communication device along the end-to-end path (see para. 0031, 0045, exchanged between a device 110 and a paired device 115 may originate from a WLAN, device 110 receives audio from an AP 105 (e.g., via WLAN communications), and the device 110 then relay or pass the audio to the paired device 115 (e.g., via Bluetooth communications), certain types of Bluetooth communications (e.g., such as high quality or high definition (HD) Bluetooth) requires enhanced quality of service, delay-sensitive Bluetooth traffic have higher priority than WLAN traffic / quality of service-based traffic flow prioritization).
As per claim 17, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 16.
The combination of Chen and Zhu however does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: communicate, with the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, information indicative of one or more link quality metrics pertaining to first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device and second communication between the second wearable or handheld wireless device and the wireless communication device.
Batra however disclose wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: communicate, with the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, information indicative of one or more link quality metrics pertaining to first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device and second communication between the second wearable or handheld wireless device and the wireless communication device (see para. 0048-0050, the described techniques may provide a stable network to a user (e.g., to a device 110-a), and may provide for dynamic role selection or role switching between the components or devices of a paired device 115. Such may maintain or enhance a quality of voice and audio data transmission between the device 110-a and the paired device 115-a under a variety of conditions or scenarios arising in a three-device network between the device 110-a and the devices 130-a and 130-b (e.g., between the device 110-a and the paired device 115-a) / one or more link quality metrics, see also para. 0062-0063, a paired device 115 may determine that a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a and the device 110-a is lower than a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b and the device 110-a. For example, the signal quality associated with the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a may be below a threshold dBm, while the signal quality associated with the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b may be equal to or greater than the threshold dBm).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: communicate, with the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, information indicative of one or more link quality metrics pertaining to first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device and second communication between the second wearable or handheld wireless device and the wireless communication device, as taught by Batra, in the system of Chen and Zhu, so as to provide for improved selection or determination of primary and secondary roles amongst the Bluetooth devices, as well as improved address management in the topology of the three-device network, see Batra, paragraphs 5-8.
As per claim 18, the combination of Chen, Zhu and Batra disclose the wireless communication device of claim 17.
Batra further disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: receive an indication that a link quality metric pertaining to the second communication between the second wearable or handheld wireless device and the wireless communication device fails to satisfy a condition; receive one or more third packets including the second link identifier in accordance with the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition; and transmit, to the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, data received via the one or more third packets in accordance with the one or more third packets including the second link identifier (see para, 0062-0063, a paired device 115 determines that a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a and the device 110-a is lower than a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b and the device 110-a / the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition. For example, the signal quality associated with the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a may be below a threshold dBm, while the signal quality associated with the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b may be equal to or greater than the threshold dBm. In such cases, the Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b may switch to operate in the primary role and the Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a may switch to operate in the secondary role).
As per claim 23, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 17.
The combination of Chen and Zhu however does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit an indication that a link quality metric pertaining to the first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device fails to satisfy a condition; receive data from the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link in accordance with the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition; and transmit, to the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, feedback information associated with the data.
Batra however disclose wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit an indication that a link quality metric pertaining to the first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device fails to satisfy a condition; receive data from the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link in accordance with the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition; and transmit, to the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, feedback information associated with the data (see para, 0062-0063, a paired device 115 determines that a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a and the device 110-a is lower than a signal quality associated with the Bluetooth connection between the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b and the device 110-a / the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition. For example, the signal quality associated with the primary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a may be below a threshold dBm, while the signal quality associated with the secondary Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b may be equal to or greater than the threshold dBm. In such cases, the Bluetooth-enabled device 130-b may switch to operate in the primary role and the Bluetooth-enabled device 130-a may switch to operate in the secondary role).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein a processing system is further configured to cause the wireless communication device to: transmit an indication that a link quality metric pertaining to the first communication between the wireless communication device and the wireless communication device fails to satisfy a condition; receive data from the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link in accordance with the link quality metric failing to satisfy the condition; and transmit, to the second wearable or handheld wireless device via the first wireless communication link, feedback information associated with the data, as taught by Batra, in the system of Chen and Zhu, so as to provide for improved selection or determination of primary and secondary roles amongst the Bluetooth devices, as well as improved address management in the topology of the three-device network, see Batra, paragraphs 5-8.
Claims 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (EP3843467A1), in view of Zhu (US Pub. No.: 2016/0105859) and further in view of Zhuang et al. (US Pub. No.: 2018/0007619).
As per claim 15, the combination of Chen and Zhu disclose the first wireless communication device of claim 1.
The combination of Chen and Zhu however does not explicitly disclose wherein the one or more second packets include one or more of an authentication frame, an association frame, an address resolution protocol frame, a dynamic host configuration protocol frame, an extensible authentication protocol over local area network frame, a key handshake frame, and an add block acknowledgment frame.
Zhuang however disclose wherein the one or more second packets include one or more of an authentication frame, an association frame, an address resolution protocol frame, a dynamic host configuration protocol frame, an extensible authentication protocol over local area network frame, a key handshake frame, and an add block acknowledgment frame (see para. 0048-0049, when one piece of existing direct association service management information exists in the direct association service management table of the first AP, where a service name in the existing direct association service management information is the same as the service name in the direct association service request frame { an association frame}, and a group address in the existing direct association service management information is the same as the device address of the second STA, sending, by the first AP, a direct association service response frame to the first STA, where the direct association service response frame includes the group address in the existing direct association service management information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein the one or more second packets include one or more of an authentication frame, an association frame, an address resolution protocol frame, a dynamic host configuration protocol frame, an extensible authentication protocol over local area network frame, a key handshake frame, and an add block acknowledgment frame, as taught by Zhuang, in the system of Chen and Zhu, so as to provide a method for registering and discovering a service, in which an AP receives and maintains service information declared by a STA, and serves as a proxy for the STA to discover service information in a network and also discover a direct association service and manage direct communication between STAs, thereby meeting a user's demand of selecting a network according to a service requirement, see Zhuang, paragraphs 10-15.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10, 12-13, 19-22 and 24-25 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Calhoun et al (US Pub. No.:2006/0187878) – see para. 0034, “In one implementation, the present invention includes extensions to the IEEE 802.11 WLAN protocols implemented on wireless clients and the wireless network infrastructure. The present invention, however, can be implemented in any suitable wireless network implementing other WLAN protocols. In one implementation, the central control elements (e.g., 24) advertise their corresponding mobility group identifier and IP address in various wireless management frames. In 802.11 network deployments, the central control elements include the mobility group identifier and the IP address in an information element added to beacon frames, probe response frames, association response frames, re-association response frames and disassociation frames, as discussed in more detail below (see AP_DETAILS information element). Wireless clients, in one implementation, cache the IP address and mobility group identifier of the central control element with which it associates (via an access point) and provides this information during re-associations with other central control elements”.
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 LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR whose telephone number is (571)272-1335. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7 am - 4 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached on 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Prosecution Insights