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 Arguments/Amendments
Applicant's arguments filed 3/12/26 stating CHITRAKAR is disqualified as a prior was persuasive. Therefore, the previous 103 rejection have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, new ground rejection has been made as shown below.
Claim Objections
Claims 21, 23, 33 35-37 and 39-42 are objected to because of the following issues:
Claim 21 recites a new claim limitation “a start time and an end time of the first LL TWT SP are aligned with a start time and an end time of the second LLTWT SP respectively wherein a transmission opportunity (TXOP) on the first link ends before the start time of the second LL TWT SP, and/or a TXOP on the second link ends before the start time of the first LL TWT SP”. It appears that the TXOP on the first link cannot end before the start time of the second LL TWT SP because the start time of the second LL TWT SP is the same as the start time of the first LL TWT SP; and the TXOP on the second link cannot end before the start time of the first LL TWT SP for the same reason.
Independent claims 37 and 40 are objected because each of them has the same problem as that of claim 21.
Dependent claims are objected because each of them has the same problem as the corresponding independent claim.
Appropriate correction is required.
To continue prosecution on merit, the claims will be interpreted as best understood.
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 21, 23, 33 35-37 and 39-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cherian (US 20220078844 A1) in view of D1 (LIWEN CHU(NXP) "Low Latency Support", IEEE 802.11-20/1058r1, IEEE DRAFT,11-20-1058-01-OOBE-LOW-LATENCY-SUPPORT, October 14,2020, NPL dated 6/25/24, 10 pages).
For claim 21, Cherian discloses a wireless communication method, applied in a Non-Access-Point Multi-Link Device (Non-AP MLD) comprising at least a first Station (STA) and a second STA, the first STA forming a first link with a first Access Point (AP) in an Access Point Multi-Link Device (AP MLD) associated with the first STA, and the second STA forming a second link with a second AP in the AP MLD (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19, 27 the associated text, such as “[0076] FIG. 7 shows a timing diagram depicting an example wireless communication 700 that supports restricted TWT service periods according to some implementations. In the example of FIG. 7, the wireless communications 700 may be performed between an AP, three wireless stations STA1-STA3 that are associated with the AP, and one or more other STAs that are in communication range of the AP but are not associated with the AP. The AP may be one example of the APs 102 and 602 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6A, respectively. Each of the wireless stations STA1, STA2, and STA3 may be one example of the STAs 104 and 604 described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 6B, respectively. … ”), the method comprising:
performing, by the Non-AP MLD, data transmission on the first link and the second link, when a first Target Wake Time Service Period (TWT SP) is established on the first link (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19-27 the associated text, such as FIG. 7 shows STA1 performing data transmission on the first link 711 and the second link 712, when a first TWT SP “Restricted TWT SP” is established on the first link); wherein
in a case that a second TWT SP is established on the second link, a start time and an end time of the first TWT SP are aligned with a start time and an end time of the second TWT SP respectively wherein a transmission opportunity (TXOP) on the first link ends before the start time of the second TWT SP, and/or a TXOP on the second link ends before the start time of the first TWT SP (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19-27 the associated text, such as FIG. 7 shows a second TWT SP “Restricted TWT SP” with a start time and an end time aligned with those of first TWT SP; wherein a TXOP on the first link “first scheduled Opportunity” does not overlap with a TXOP on the second link “second scheduled Opportunity”; FIG. 8 shows an options of overlapping of the first TXOP and second TXOP).
Cherian does not specifically state that the TWT SP is an LL TWT SP. However, Cherian teaches a TWT SP may provide low-latency service (“[0107] For example, at block 902, the AP establishes a restricted target wake time (TWT) session on a wireless channel. The restricted TWT session includes at least one restricted TWT service period (SP) during which the AP reserves the wireless channel for low-latency or latency sensitive traffic. …”). Furthermore, D1 specifically discloses LL TWT SP (throughout of the document, such as slide 2, “- A TWT SP for low latency service …”. OOSA would have been motivated to replace TWT SP of Cherian with LL TWT SP by D1 to yield a predictable result of obtaining low latency service.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian and D1 for the benefit of obtaining low latency service (slide 2 of D1).
Claim 37 is rejected because it is a claim of a station device that performs the method of claim 21 and has the same subject matter.
Claim 40 is rejected because it is a claim of an access point device that performs the method of claim 21 and has the same subject matter.
As to claim 23, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 22, D1 further discloses: wherein in the case that the second LL TWT SP is established on the second link, said performing, by the Non-AP MLD, the data transmission on the first link and the second link comprises: (the selections are considered based on design incentives or requirements according to 2143(F) and would have been obvious to OOSA), and
performing, by the Non-AP MLD when the first link and the second link of the Non-AP MLD belong to a Non Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (NSTR) link pair, the data transmission on the first link and the second link based on an active/passive mode on the first link and the second link (D1: slide 4, last bullet “If the group accepts the rules that within the BSS an EHT STA stops its TXOP at the beginning of the low-latency TWT SP in the link where the TWT is negotiated, the TXOP in other links of NSTR non-AP MLD, EMLSR MLD, EMLMR MLD should be considered also (see the following slides) and the TWT SP should be broadcast TWT SP. …”).
As to claim 33, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, Cherian further discloses: wherein the mode of the first link and/or the second link is determined based on a predetermined condition (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19-27 the associated text, such as FIG. 7).
As to claim 35, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 33, D1 further discloses: wherein the predetermined condition is agreed in a protocol, or the predetermined condition is agreed by the first AP and the second AP. The motivation of combining Cherian and D1 is the same as stated in the parent claim.
As to claim 36, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, further discloses: wherein the mode of the first link and/or the second link is determined based on the priorities of the services transmitted in the first LL TWT SP and the second LL TWT SP (as disclosed by the parent claims).
As to claim 39, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 38, D1 further discloses: wherein in the case that the second LL TWT SP is established on the second link, said performing, by the Non-AP MLD, the data transmission on the first link and the second link comprises: performing, by the Non-AP MLD when the first link and the second link of the Non-AP MLD belong to a Non Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (NSTR) link pair, the data transmission on the first link and the second link based on an active/passive mode on the first link and the second link (slide 4, last bullet “If the group accepts the rules that within the BSS an EHT STA stops its TXOP at the beginning of the low-latency TWT SP in the link where the TWT is negotiated, the TXOP in other links of NSTR non-AP MLD, EMLSR MLD, EMLMR MLD should be considered also (see the following slides) and the TWT SP should be broadcast TWT SP. …”). The motivation of combining CHITRAKAR and D1 is the same as stated in the parent claim.
As to claim 41, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 21, Cherian further discloses: wherein a start time and an end time of a physical protocol data unit (PPDU) transmitted within the first LL TWT SP are aligned with a start time and an end time of a PPDU transmitted within the second LL TWT SP, respectively (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19-27 the associated text, such as FIG. 7 in view of the parent claim).
As to claim 42, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 37, wherein a start time and an end time of a physical protocol data unit (PPDU) transmitted within the first LL TWT SP are aligned with a start time and an end time of a PPDU transmitted within the second LL TWT SP, respectively (FIGs. 1, 6-16, 19-27 the associated text, such as FIG. 7 in view of the parent claim).
Claims 24-32 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cherian in view of D1, further in view of Cariou (US 20210337475 A1).
As to claim 24, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, D1 further discloses wherein in the case that the second LL TWT SP is established on the second link (as disclosed by the parent claim):
in a region where the second LL TWT SP completely overlaps the first LL TWT SP in the time domain, or in a region where the first LL TWT SP completely overlaps the second LL TWT SP in the time domain (Slide 4, 1st bullet “The TXOP of the OBSS traffic may overlap with the low latency TWT SP.”).
Cherian in view of D1 is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: when one link is in the leader transmission mode for data transceiving and another link is in the follower transmission mode not/stop performing data transceiving (“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by CHITRAKAR in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 25, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: wherein the active/passive mode of the first link is controlled by the first AP and/or the first STA, and/or the active/passive mode of the second link is controlled by the second AP and/or the second STA (“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by CHITRAKAR in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 26, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: the active/passive mode of the second link is controlled by the second AP instructing the second STA via a trigger frame or a management frame (“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)”). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 27, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: wherein the active/passive mode of the first link is indicated by a value of a variable in an LL TWT SP module in the first AP, wherein the LL TWT SP module in the first AP comprises first information field and/or second information field, a value of a variable in the first information field indicates whether to enable the active/passive mode, and a value of a variable in the second information field indicates whether the first link is in the leader transmission mode or the follower transmission mode (FIG. 4 and the associated text, such as such as “[0052] Although states 402, 404, 406, and 408 are shown as separate states, … [0053] The materials above describe a protocol for negotiation of multi-band link aggregation setup. The materials that follow describe several examples that enable multi-band power savings by modifying the initial setup protocol to include pre-negotiated power save states/operating modes. These negotiations enable fast switching between or among pre-defined power save modes of operation …” and
“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim; note that first information field and/or second information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 28, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: wherein the active/passive mode of the first link is indicated by a value of a variable in an LL TWT SP module in the first STA, wherein the LL TWT SP module in the first STA comprises third information field and/or fourth information field, a value of a variable in the third information field indicates whether to enable the active/passive mode, and a value of a variable in the fourth information field indicates whether the first link is in the leader transmission mode or the follower transmission mode (FIG. 4 and the associated text, such as such as “[0052] Although states 402, 404, 406, and 408 are shown as separate states, … [0053] The materials above describe a protocol for negotiation of multi-band link aggregation setup. The materials that follow describe several examples that enable multi-band power savings by modifying the initial setup protocol to include pre-negotiated power save states/operating modes. These negotiations enable fast switching between or among pre-defined power save modes of operation …” and “[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim; note that third information field and/or fourth information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 29, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: wherein the active/passive mode of the second link is indicated by a value of a variable in an LL TWT SP module in the second AP, wherein the LL TWT SP module in the second AP comprises fifth information field and/or sixth information field, a value of a variable in the fifth information field indicates whether to enable the active/passive mode, and a value of a variable in the sixth information field indicates whether the second link is in the leader transmission mode or the follower transmission mode (FIG. 4 and the associated text, such as such as “[0052] Although states 402, 404, 406, and 408 are shown as separate states, … [0053] The materials above describe a protocol for negotiation of multi-band link aggregation setup. The materials that follow describe several examples that enable multi-band power savings by modifying the initial setup protocol to include pre-negotiated power save states/operating modes. These negotiations enable fast switching between or among pre-defined power save modes of operation …” and “[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim in view of the parent claim; note that fifth information field and/or sixth information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by CHITRAKAR in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 30, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, and is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: wherein the active/passive mode of the second link is indicated by a value of a variable in an LL TWT SP module in the second STA, wherein the LL TWT SP module in the second STA comprises seventh information field and/or eighth information field, a value of a variable in the seventh information field indicates whether to enable the active/passive mode, and a value of a variable in the eighth information field indicates whether the second link is in the leader transmission mode or the follower transmission mode (FIG. 4 and the associated text, such as such as “[0052] Although states 402, 404, 406, and 408 are shown as separate states, … [0053] The materials above describe a protocol for negotiation of multi-band link aggregation setup. The materials that follow describe several examples that enable multi-band power savings by modifying the initial setup protocol to include pre-negotiated power save states/operating modes. These negotiations enable fast switching between or among pre-defined power save modes of operation …” and “[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim in view of the parent claim; note that seventh information field and/or eighth information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 31, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 23, CHITRAKAR further discloses: receiving, by the Non-AP MLD, first indication information transmitted by the first AP or the second AP via a trigger frame or a management frame, the first indication information indicating a mode of the first link (“[0075] … The Multi-AP Trigger frame 802 instructs AP1 to initiate an UL transmission from STA2 and also assigns RU1 to be used for the UL transmission from STA2).
Cherian in view of D1 is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: setting, by the Non-AP MLD, the active/passive mode of the first link based on the first indication information (FIG. 11 and the associated text, such as [0048] … Alternatively, the transition from state 404 to state 406 can be triggered by a specific trigger frame (similar to the LA setup frame but with specific trigger information). The transition from state 404 to 406 can also be triggered by a specific timeout, or by a specific event.”); the mode is the active/passive mode (“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim in view of the parent claim; note that seventh information field and/or eighth information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
As to claim 32, Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou discloses claim 31, D1 further discloses: wherein the mode of the first link is determined based on at least one of a priority of a service transmitted in the first LL TWT SP, a priority of a service transmitted in the second LL TWT SP, start time of the first LL TWT SP, start time of the second LL TWT SP, link state information of the first link, or link state information of the second link (slide 2, 1st bullet, “An AP indicates whether a TWT SP is used for low latency service or not. - A TWT SP for low latency service only allows the STAs that support/request low latency service to join the TWT SP”). The motivation of combining Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou is the same as stated in the parent claims.
As to claim 34, Cherian in view of D1 discloses claim 33: wherein the predetermined condition comprises: when the priority of the service transmitted in the first LL TWT SP is lower than the priority of the service transmitted in the second LL TWT SP, the first link is in the follower transmission mode and the second link is in the leader transmission mode (using a link with higher priority is well known in the art. Examiner takes an official notice on this statement. Applicant does not challenge the official notice, therefore, the statement is considered as an admitted prior art);
when the priority of the service transmitted in the first LL TWT SP is higher than the priority of the service transmitted in the second LL TWT SP, the first link is in the leader transmission mode and the second link is in the follower transmission mode (using a link with higher priority is well known in the art. Examiner takes an official notice on this statement. Applicant does not challenge the official notice, therefore, the statement is considered as an admitted prior art);
when the priority of the service transmitted in the first LL TWT SP is same as the priority of the service transmitted in the second LL TWT SP, and the start time of the first LL TWT SP is later than the start time of the second LL TWT SP, the first link is in the follower transmission mode and the second link is in the leader transmission mode (This is obvious to OOSA because it is an obvious try according to MPEP 2143(E)); or
when the priority of the service transmitted in the first LL TWT SP is same as the priority of the service transmitted in the second LL TWT SP, and the start time of the first LL TWT SP is earlier than the start time of the second LL TWT SP (as disclosed by the parent claims).
Cherian in view of D1 is silent but Cariou, in the same field endeavor of multi-link communication, discloses: the first link is in the leader transmission mode and the second link is in the follower transmission mode (“[0112] The examples described below adapt the APSD power management scheme to a multi-band framework. The behavior of the scheme linked to the TIM and DTIM in beacons is also adapted. In one example, a STA and an AP can communicate over multiple bands (example, one a primary, power save mode band, or control channel band, and a secondary, active mode band, or data channel band)” in view of the parent claim in view of the parent claim; note that seventh information field and/or eighth information field are variables related changing of operation modes). OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Cariou above to the multi-link communication by Cherian in view of D1 to yield a predictable result of performing power management.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine Cherian in view of D1 and Cariou for the benefit of performing power management ([0112] of Cariou).
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 JIANYE WU whose telephone number is (571)270-1665. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8am-6pm.
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/JIANYE WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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