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 .
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 1-5, 7, 10, 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Naik (US 2023/0328669).
As to claim 1, Naik discloses a method for performing medium access control (MAC) protocol data unit (MPDU) dispatch control (see at least paragraph [0065] which discloses “The payload 204 may include a PSDU including a data field (DATA) 214 that, in turn, may carry higher layer data, for example, in the form of medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) or an aggregated MPDU (A-MPDU)”) in multi-link operation (MLO) architecture (see paragraph [0047], lines 1-2), the method being applicable to a wireless transceiver device 610 (see at least figure 6) within a wireless communications system, the method comprising: utilizing the wireless transceiver device 610 to communicate with another device 620 (see figure 6) within the wireless communications system, to allow data transmission between the wireless transceiver device 610 and the other device 620 through at least one portion of links 602, 604, or 606 among multiple links 602, 604, and 606 respectively corresponding to multiple predetermined radio frequency bands (see paragraphs [0006], [0014]); and performing a dispatch control procedure to dispatch multiple MAC protocol data units (MPDUs) into multiple physical layer (PHY) protocol data units (PPDUs) (see paragraph [0076] which discloses “For example, the wireless communication device 400 can be configured to transmit and receive packets in the form of physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data units (PPDUs) and medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard”) corresponding to a set of selected links 602, 604, 606 according to at least one predetermined rule in a predetermined mode of the wireless transceiver device 610 (see paragraphs [0047], [0088], [0090]), for sending the multiple PPDUs to the other device 620 through the set of selected links (see paragraphs [0064], [0071]).
As to claim 2, Naik discloses that the predetermined mode represents a hybrid mode in which the multiple links comprise multiple enhanced multi-link single radio (EMLSR) links and at least one simultaneous transmit and receive (STR) link. See at least paragraph [0090].
As to claim 3, Naik discloses that the wireless transceiver device 610 (see figure 6) is arranged to configure one of the multiple EMLSR links and STR links in the hybrid mode. See at least paragraphs [0047], [0090].
As to claim 4, Naik discloses that according to the at least one predetermined rule, the wireless transceiver device 610 (see figure 6) is arranged to dispatch a set of MPDUs among the multiple MPDUs into a first EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links, without dispatching any MPDU among the multiple MPDUs into any other EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links. See paragraphs [0047], [0088].
As to claim 5, Naik discloses that the wireless transceiver device 610 (see figure 6) is arranged to dispatch another set of MPDUs among the multiple MPDUs into the at least one STR link. See paragraphs [0047], [0089], [0090].
As to claim 7, Naik discloses that according to the at least one predetermined rule, the wireless transceiver device is arranged to dispatch a set of MPDUs among the multiple MPDUs into one EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links. See paragraphs [0047], [0088].
As to claim 10, Naik discloses that according to a second predetermined rule among the at least one predetermined rule, if a first EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links is under transmission, the wireless transceiver device is arranged to dispatch the set of MPDUs into the first EMLSR link, and prevent dispatching any MPDU among the multiple MPDUs into any other EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links, wherein the one EMLSR link represents the first EMLSR link. See paragraphs [0047], [0088].
As to claim 12, Naik discloses that the multiple MPDUs represent a group of MPDUs, and the multiple PPDUs represent multiple first PPDUs into which the group of MPDUs are dispatched (see paragraph [0076] which discloses “For example, the wireless communication device 400 can be configured to transmit and receive packets in the form of physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data units (PPDUs) and medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard”); and the method further comprises: performing the dispatch control procedure to dispatch another group of MPDUs into multiple second PPDUs corresponding to the set of selected links 602, 604, 606 according to the at least one predetermined rule in the predetermined mode of the wireless transceiver device 610 (see paragraphs [0047], [0076], [0088], [0090]), for sending the multiple second PPDUs to the other device 620 through the set of selected links 602, 604, 606 (see paragraphs [0064], [0071]).
As to claim 13, Naik discloses that operates according to the method of claim 1, wherein the wireless transceiver device is a multi-link device (MLD) 610 (see at least figure 6).
As to claim 14, it is rejected for similar reasons with respect to independent claim 1 as set forth above. Naik further discloses the wireless transceiver device 502 (see at least figure 5A) comprising: a processing circuit 530 (see at least figure 5A), arranged to control operations of the wireless transceiver device 502; and at least one communications control circuit (inherently included in WCD 510), coupled to the processing circuit 530, arranged to perform communications control, wherein the at least one communications control circuit is arranged to perform wireless communications operations with another device 504 among the multiple devices for the wireless transceiver device 502.
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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naik in view of Chu (US 2021/0377856).
As to claim 11, Naik discloses that according to a third predetermined rule among the at least one predetermined rule, the wireless transceiver device 610 (see figure 6) is arranged to dispatch the set of MPDUs into the first EMLSR link, and prevent dispatching any MPDU among the multiple MPDUs into any other EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links, wherein the one EMLSR link represents the first EMLSR link. See paragraphs [0047], [0088]. Naik fails to disclose using a backoff counter corresponding to a first EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links has a minimum backoff counter value among backoff counter values of all backoff counters corresponding to the multiple EMLSR links. Chu discloses that each EMLSR link may have its own backoff time, and when the backoff counter for one of the radios becomes zero that radio and link may be used for transmission (see paragraph [0059]). Therefore, it would have been obvious, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the above teaching of Chu to Naik, in order to yield predictable results such as preventing network collisions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 8-9 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.
As to claim 6, the prior art of record fail to anticipate, or render obvious, that according to the at least one predetermined rule, the wireless transceiver device is arranged to dispatch the set of MPDUs into the first EMLSR link and dispatch another set of MPDUs among the multiple MPDUs into the at least one STR link, no matter whether a first backoff counter value of a first backoff counter corresponding to the first EMLSR link reaches a predetermined backoff termination value first among backoff counter values of all backoff counters respectively corresponding to the multiple links.
As to claims 8-9, the prior art of record fail to anticipate, or render obvious, that according to a first predetermined rule among the at least one predetermined rule, if one of multiple synchronization (Sync) start links among the multiple links is a first EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links, the wireless transceiver device is arranged to dispatch the set of MPDUs into the first EMLSR link, and prevent dispatching any MPDU among the multiple MPDUs into any other EMLSR link among the multiple EMLSR links, wherein the one EMLSR link represents the first EMLSR link.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Asterjadhi (US 2024/0137860); Naik (US 2024/0155713); Kim (US 2025/0358879); Ajami (US 2024/0049316) disclose multi-link operations.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN THANH VO whose telephone number is (571)272-7901. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Anderson can be reached at (571) 272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/NGUYEN T VO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646