DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to communications filed on October 21, 2023. Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on October 31, 2023 has been considered.
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 1-14 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2015/0358067) in view of Nandagopalan et al. (US 2008/0310348).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhang teaches a method for relaying one or more frames at a wireless relay station (STA) device from a first STA device to a second STA device in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol (“The method 1300 is performed between a source node 1302, a relay node 1304, a destination node 1306” – See [0166]; “Thus, the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11, for example” – See [0061]; “The R-AP communicates with a plurality of end-stations (end-STAs), each end-STA having a medium access control (MAC) address” – See [0013]; A relay node relays frames between first and second STAs), comprising:
receiving, by the wireless relay STA device, a first Medium Access Control (MAC) control frame to protect a transmission opportunity for a relay operation of frames exchanged between a first STA device and a second STA device over the wireless relay STA device, where the first MAC control frame comprises transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration information, and address information (“The source node 1302 sends a R-RTS frame 1310 with the one-bit indication set to “1” to the relay node 1304” – See [0168]; “R-RTS format 1: The R-RTS frame includes a PLCP header and a MAC header which contains Frame Control, Duration, TA, receiver address (RA), and frame check sequence (FCS) fields. A one-bit field in the SIG field of the PLCP header is reused to indicate whether the R-RTS frame is used to reserve the TXOP for relay” – See [0160]; See also Fig. 13; Relay 1304 (Relay STA) receives R-RTS 1310 (first MAC control frame) to reserve/protect a TXOP for relay of frames between source 1302 (first STA) and destination 1306 (second STA), where the R-RTS includes duration information for the TXOP and address information (e.g., transmitter address and receiver address));
transmitting, by the wireless relay STA device to the second STA device, a second MAC control frame in response to the wireless relay STA device receiving the first MAC control frame (“a relay node 1304 that receives the R-RTS frame 1310. In one procedure, the relay node 1304 transmits a R-RTS frame 1312 with the one-bit indication set to “0” to the destination node 1306 after a SIFS interval 1314 if the NAV at the relay node 1304 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0173]; Relay 1304 transmits R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame) to destination 1306);
receiving and processing, by the wireless relay STA device, a third MAC control frame that is transmitted by the second STA device in response to receiving the second MAC control frame (“The destination node 1306 that is addressed by the R-RTS frame 1312 from the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1316 to the relay node 1304 after a SIFS interval 1318 if the NAV at the destination node 1306 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0182]; Relay 1304 receives CTS 1316 (third MAC control frame) from destination 1306 in response to R-RTS 1312); and
transmitting, by the wireless relay STA device, a fourth MAC control frame in response to receiving the third MAC control frame to confirm completion of a TXOP protection frame exchange sequence (“Upon receiving the CTS frame 1316 from the destination node 1306 within the CTSTimeout interval, the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1320” – See [0184]; In response to receiving CTS 1316, relay 1304 transmits CTS 1320 (fourth MAC control frame) to complete the TXOP reservation/protection).
Zhang does not explicitly teach that the address information comprises receiver address information identifying the wireless relay STA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, transmitter address information identifying the first STA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the second STA device.
However, Nandagopalan teaches that the first MAC control frame comprises receiver address information identifying the wireless relay STA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, transmitter address information identifying the first STA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the second STA device (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; The frame comprises a partner address field (receiver address information identifying the wireless relay STA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame), a source address field (transmitter address information identifying the first STA device as a transmitter device), and a destination address field (address information identifying the second STA device)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang such that the address information comprises receiver address information identifying the wireless relay STA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, transmitter address information identifying the first STA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the second STA device. Motivation for doing so would be to provide information that identifies the specific relay/partner node that will undertake the relay function in the impending transaction between the source and destination devices (See Nandagopalan, [0032]).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches receiving, by the wireless relay STA device, a first frame from the first STA device; and forwarding, by the wireless relay STA device, the first frame to the second STA device (“The source node 1302 starts transmitting a data frame 1324” – See [0186]; “If the relay node 1304 successfully receives the data frame 1324, the relay node 1304 transmits the data frame as data frame 1338 to the destination node 1306” – See [0189]; Relay 1304 receives data frame 1324 (first frame) from source 1302 and forwards it to destination 1306).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the first MAC control frame is selected from a group consisting of a modified Multi-User Request-to-Send (MU-RTS) Trigger frame, a modified MU-RTS TXS Triggered TXOP sharing Trigger frame or a Request-to-Send Announcement (RTSA) frame which triggers the wireless relay STA device to transmit the second MAC control frame (“The source node 1302 sends a R-RTS frame 1310 with the one-bit indication set to “1” to the relay node 1304” – See [0168]; “R-RTS format 1: The R-RTS frame includes a PLCP header and a MAC header which contains Frame Control, Duration, TA, receiver address (RA), and frame check sequence (FCS) fields. A one-bit field in the SIG field of the PLCP header is reused to indicate whether the R-RTS frame is used to reserve the TXOP for relay” – See [0160]; R-RTS 1310 is a Request-to-Send Announcement that triggers relay 1304 to transmit R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame)).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the second MAC control frame is selected from a group consisting of a Request-to-Send (RTS) frame or a Multi-User Request-to-Send (MU-RTS) Trigger frame (“a relay node 1304 that receives the R-RTS frame 1310. In one procedure, the relay node 1304 transmits a R-RTS frame 1312 with the one-bit indication set to “0” to the destination node 1306 after a SIFS interval 1314 if the NAV at the relay node 1304 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0173]; R-RTS 1312 is a Request-to-Send frame).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the third MAC control frame is a Clear-to-Send (CTS) frame addressed to the wireless relay STA device (“The destination node 1306 that is addressed by the R-RTS frame 1312 from the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1316 to the relay node 1304 after a SIFS interval 1318 if the NAV at the destination node 1306 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0182]; CTS 1316 is a Clear-to-Send frame addressed to relay 1304).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the fourth MAC control frame comprises a Clear-to-Send (CTS) frame addressed to at least one of the first STA device or the wireless relay STA device (“Upon receiving the CTS frame 1316 from the destination node 1306 within the CTSTimeout interval, the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1320 addressed to the source node 1302 to indicate whether the TXOP reservation for the two-hop relay succeeds” – See [0184]; CTS 1320 is a Clear-to-Send frame addressed to source 1302 (first STA)).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the first STA device is an access point (AP) and the second STA device is a non-AP station (STA) (“FIG. 2 is a signal diagram of a downlink relay procedure 200 from an AP (source) to a STA (destination) through a relay node” – See [0076]; The source/first STA in an AP and the destination/second STA is a non-AP STA).
Regarding Claim 8, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the first MAC control frame triggers transmission of the second MAC control frame from the wireless relay STA device to the second STA device (“a relay node 1304 that receives the R-RTS frame 1310. In one procedure, the relay node 1304 transmits a R-RTS frame 1312 with the one-bit indication set to “0” to the destination node 1306 after a SIFS interval 1314 if the NAV at the relay node 1304 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0173]; Reception of R-RTS 1310 (first MAC control frame) triggers the relay 1304 to transmit R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame) to destination 1306).
Regarding Claim 9, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the wireless relay STA device transmits the second MAC control frame when a wireless medium at the wireless relay STA device is idle (“a relay node 1304 that receives the R-RTS frame 1310. In one procedure, the relay node 1304 transmits a R-RTS frame 1312 with the one-bit indication set to “0” to the destination node 1306 after a SIFS interval 1314 if the NAV at the relay node 1304 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0173]; R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame) to destination 1306 when the medium is idle).
Regarding Claim 10, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 1. Zhang further teaches that the second STA device transmits the third MAC control frame when a wireless medium at the second STA device is idle (“The destination node 1306 that is addressed by the R-RTS frame 1312 from the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1316 to the relay node 1304 after a SIFS interval 1318 if the NAV at the destination node 1306 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0182]; CTS 1316 (third MAC control frame) is transmitted by destination 1306 when the medium is idle).
Regarding Claim 11, Zhang teaches a method for protecting a transmission opportunity (TXOP) for relay operation of frames exchanged between a transmitter station (tSTA) device and a destination STA (dSTA) device over a relay STA (rSTA) device (“The method 1300 is performed between a source node 1302, a relay node 1304, a destination node 1306” – See [0166]; “Thus, the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11, for example” – See [0061]; “The R-AP communicates with a plurality of end-stations (end-STAs), each end-STA having a medium access control (MAC) address” – See [0013]; A relay node (rSTA) relays frames between a source node (tSTA) and destination node (dSTA)), comprising:
transmitting, by the tSTA device, a first Medium Access Control (MAC) control frame to at least the rSTA device, where the first MAC control frame comprises TXOP duration information and address information, and where the first MAC control frame instructs the rSTA device to transmit a second MAC control frame to at least the dSTA device (“The source node 1302 sends a R-RTS frame 1310 with the one-bit indication set to “1” to the relay node 1304” – See [0168]; “R-RTS format 1: The R-RTS frame includes a PLCP header and a MAC header which contains Frame Control, Duration, TA, receiver address (RA), and frame check sequence (FCS) fields. A one-bit field in the SIG field of the PLCP header is reused to indicate whether the R-RTS frame is used to reserve the TXOP for relay” – See [0160]; See also Fig. 13; Source 1302 (tSTA) transmits R-RTS 1310 (first MAC control frame) to relay 1304 (rSTA), wherein the R-RTS 1310 includes duration information for the TXOP and address information (e.g., transmitter address and receiver address), and wherein the R-RTS 1310 causes relay 1304 to transmit R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame) to destination 1306 (dSTA));
detecting, by the tSTA device, whether the rSTA device transmits the second MAC control frame at a first time window specified by the TXOP duration information and whether the rSTA device transmits a third MAC control frame at a second time window specified by the TXOP duration information (“Upon receiving/detecting the R-RTS frame 1312 from the relay node 1304, the source node 1302 may determine whether its R-RTS frame 1310 transmission succeeds or not” – See [0173]; “Upon receiving the CTS frame 1320 from the relay node 1304, the source node 1302 knows that the TXOP reservation for the two-hop relay succeeds” – See [0186]; Source 1302 (tSTA) detects that relay 1304 (rSTA) has transmitted R-RTS 1312 (second MAC control frame) and CTS 1320 (third MAC control frame), wherein the R-RTS 1312 and CTS 1320 are detected/received within the TXOP/NAV window); and
transmitting, by the tSTA device, a frame to at least the rSTA device during a TXOP-protected window designated by the TXOP duration information for forwarding to the dSTA device if the tSTA device detects the second MAC control frame at the first time window and also detect the third MAC control frame at the second time window (“The source node 1302 starts transmitting a data frame 1324” – See [0186]; “If the relay node 1304 successfully receives the data frame 1324, the relay node 1304 transmits the data frame as data frame 1338 to the destination node 1306” – See [0189]; Source 1302 transmits, based on detection of RTS 1312 and CTS 1320, data frame 1324 (first frame) to relay 1304 and relay 1304 forwards it to destination 1306).
Zhang does not explicitly teach that the address information comprises transmitter address information identifying the tSTA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, receiver address information identifying the rSTA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the dSTA device.
However, Nandagopalan teaches that the first MAC control frame comprises transmitter address information identifying the tSTA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, receiver address information identifying the rSTA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the dSTA device (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; The frame comprises a partner address field (receiver address information identifying the rSTA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame), a source address field (transmitter address information identifying the tSTA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame), and a destination address field (address information identifying the dSTA device)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang such that the address information comprises transmitter address information identifying the tSTA device as a transmitter device for the first MAC control frame, receiver address information identifying the rSTA device as a receiver device for the first MAC control frame, and address information identifying the dSTA device for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 12, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 11. Nandagopalan further teaches that the transmitter address information in the first MAC control frame comprises a Transmitter Address (TA) field set to a MAC address of the tSTA device, and where the receiver address information in the first MAC control frame comprises a Receiver Address (RA) field set to the rSTA device (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; “in the description that follows an illustrative transmission and reception of a data frame between the source STA 101 (S) and the destination STA 102 (D) are described” – See [0020]; “The relay/partner 104” – See [0023]; The frame comprises a partner address field (RA field set to the rSTA device) and a source address field (TA field set to a MAC address of the tSTA device)).
Claim 13 is rejected based on reasoning similar to Claim 4.
Claim 14 is rejected based on reasoning similar to Claim 5.
Regarding Claim 17, Zhang teaches a wireless transmitter device for transmitting one or more frames in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 802.11 protocol, comprising: a transceiver to exchange one or more frames with one or more wireless devices; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor (“The method 1300 is performed between a source node 1302, a relay node 1304, a destination node 1306” – See [0166]; “Thus, the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11, for example” – See [0061]; “The R-AP communicates with a plurality of end-stations (end-STAs), each end-STA having a medium access control (MAC) address” – See [0013]; “the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120 … non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132” – See [0057]; A source node (transmitter device) including a transceiver, processor, and memory transmits frames in accordance with IEEE 802.11 protocol), cause the wireless transmitter device to:
transmit a Medium Access Control (MAC) control frame to at least a wireless relay device, where the MAC control frame comprises transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration information, address information, and where the MAC control frame instructs the wireless relay device to transmit a Request-to-Send (RTS) or multi-user RTS (MU-RTS) Trigger frame to at least a wireless destination device (“The source node 1302 sends a R-RTS frame 1310 with the one-bit indication set to “1” to the relay node 1304” – See [0168]; “R-RTS format 1: The R-RTS frame includes a PLCP header and a MAC header which contains Frame Control, Duration, TA, receiver address (RA), and frame check sequence (FCS) fields. A one-bit field in the SIG field of the PLCP header is reused to indicate whether the R-RTS frame is used to reserve the TXOP for relay” – See [0160]; See also Fig. 13; Source 1302 (transmitter device) transmits R-RTS 1310 (MAC control frame) to relay 1304 (relay device), wherein the R-RTS 1310 includes duration information for the TXOP and address information (e.g., transmitter address and receiver address), and wherein the R-RTS 1310 causes relay 1304 to transmit R-RTS 1312 (Request-to-Send frame) to destination 1306 (destination device)).
Zhang does not explicitly teach that the address information comprises address information for the wireless destination device, a Transmitter Address (TA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device, and a Receiver Address (RA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device.
However, Nandagopalan teaches that the MAC control frame comprises address information for the wireless destination device, a Transmitter Address (TA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device, and a Receiver Address (RA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; The frame comprises a partner address field (RA field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device), a source address field (TA field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device), and a destination address field (address information for the wireless destination device)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang such that the address information comprises address information for the wireless destination device, a Transmitter Address (TA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device, and a Receiver Address (RA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 18, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the wireless transmitter device of Claim 17. Zhang further teaches that the instructions stored in memory, when executed by the processor, cause the wireless transmitter device to: detect whether the wireless relay device transmits the RTS or MU-RTS Trigger frame in a first time window and whether the wireless relay device transmits a Clear-to-Send (CTS) frame in a second time window; and transmit one or more frames to at least the wireless relay device at a first TXOP-protected transmission time designated by the TXOP duration information for forwarding to the wireless destination device if the wireless transmitter device detects that the RTS or MU-RTS Trigger frame is transmitted at the first time window and the CTS frame is transmitted at the second time window (“The source node 1302 starts transmitting a data frame 1324” – See [0186]; “If the relay node 1304 successfully receives the data frame 1324, the relay node 1304 transmits the data frame as data frame 1338 to the destination node 1306” – See [0189]; Source 1302 transmits, based on detection of RTS 1312 (RTS frame) and CTS 1320 (CTS frame), data frame 1324 (first frame) to relay 1304 and relay 1304 forwards it to destination 1306).
Regarding Claim 19, Zhang teaches a wireless relay device for transmitting one or more frames in accordance with Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 protocol, comprising: a transceiver to exchange one or more frames with one or more wireless devices; a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor (“The method 1300 is performed between a source node 1302, a relay node 1304, a destination node 1306” – See [0166]; “Thus, the transceiver 120 may include multiple transceivers for enabling the WTRU 102 to communicate via multiple RATs, such as UTRA and IEEE 802.11, for example” – See [0061]; “The R-AP communicates with a plurality of end-stations (end-STAs), each end-STA having a medium access control (MAC) address” – See [0013]; “the WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120 … non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132” – See [0057]; A relay node (relay device) including a transceiver, processor, and memory transmits frames in accordance with IEEE 802.11 protocol), cause the wireless relay device to:
receive a Medium Access Control (MAC) control frame to protect a transmission opportunity for a relay operation transmitted by a wireless transmitter device to a wireless destination device, where the MAC control frame comprises transmission opportunity (TXOP) duration information, and address information (“The source node 1302 sends a R-RTS frame 1310 with the one-bit indication set to “1” to the relay node 1304” – See [0168]; “R-RTS format 1: The R-RTS frame includes a PLCP header and a MAC header which contains Frame Control, Duration, TA, receiver address (RA), and frame check sequence (FCS) fields. A one-bit field in the SIG field of the PLCP header is reused to indicate whether the R-RTS frame is used to reserve the TXOP for relay” – See [0160]; See also Fig. 13; Relay 1304 (Relay STA) receives R-RTS 1310 (MAC control frame) to reserve/protect a TXOP for relay of frames between source 1302 (transmitter device) and destination 1306 (destination device), where the R-RTS includes duration information for the TXOP and address information (e.g., transmitter address and receiver address));
transmit a Request-to-Send (RTS) or multi-user RTS (MU-RTS) Trigger frame in response to receiving the MAC control frame, where the RTS or MU-RTS Trigger frame comprises the TXOP duration information, receiver address information identifying the wireless destination device as a receiver device for the RTS frame, and transmitter address information identifying the wireless relay device (“a relay node 1304 that receives the R-RTS frame 1310. In one procedure, the relay node 1304 transmits a R-RTS frame 1312 with the one-bit indication set to “0” to the destination node 1306 after a SIFS interval 1314 if the NAV at the relay node 1304 indicates that the medium is idle. The duration field of the R-RTS frame 1312 is the value obtained from the duration field of the R-RTS frame 1310 received from the source node 1302 … The RA field is set as the MAC address of the destination node 1306, and the TA field is set as the MAC address of the relay node 1304.” – See [0173]; Relay 1304 transmits R-RTS 1312 (RTS frame) to destination 1306 in response to receiving the R-RTS 1310, wherein the R-RTS 1312 includes the TXOP duration information, RA address identifying the destination 1306 (destination device), and TA address information identifying the relay 1304 (relay device));
receive a first Clear-to-Send (CTS) frame that is transmitted by the wireless destination device in response to receiving the RTS or MU-RTS Trigger frame (“The destination node 1306 that is addressed by the R-RTS frame 1312 from the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1316 to the relay node 1304 after a SIFS interval 1318 if the NAV at the destination node 1306 indicates that the medium is idle” – See [0182]; Relay 1304 receives CTS 1316 (first CTS frame) from destination 1306 in response to R-RTS 1312); and
transmit a second CTS frame in response to receiving the first CTS frame (“Upon receiving the CTS frame 1316 from the destination node 1306 within the CTSTimeout interval, the relay node 1304 transmits a CTS frame 1320” – See [0184]; In response to receiving CTS 1316, relay 1304 transmits CTS 1320 (second CTS frame) to complete the TXOP reservation/protection).
Zhang does not explicitly teach that the address information comprises address information of the destination station device, receiver address information identifying the wireless relay device as a receiver device for the MAC control frame, and transmitter address information identifying the wireless transmitter device as a transmitter device for the MAC control frame.
However, Nandagopalan teaches that the MAC control frame comprises address information of the destination station device, receiver address information identifying the wireless relay device as a receiver device for the MAC control frame, and transmitter address information identifying the wireless transmitter device as a transmitter device for the MAC control frame (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; The frame comprises a partner address field (receiver address information identifying the wireless relay device), a source address field (transmitter address information identifying the wireless transmitter device), and a destination address field (address information of the destination station device)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang such that the address information comprises address information of the destination station device, receiver address information identifying the wireless relay device as a receiver device for the MAC control frame, and transmitter address information identifying the wireless transmitter device as a transmitter device for the MAC control frame for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 20, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the wireless relay device of Claim 19. Nandagopalan further teaches that the MAC control frame comprises: address information identifying the wireless destination device; a Transmitter Address (TA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device; and a Receiver Address (RA) field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device (“The RTS frame 201 includes a frame control field, a duration field, a destination address field, a partner address field, a source address field and a frame check sequence (FCS) used to check errors in a packet. As will be appreciated, the destination address, the partner address and the source address fields identify the destination, the partner and the source, respectively. Illustrative bit values are shown parenthetically in each frame. As will be apparent to one skilled in the art, the RTS frame 201 is a modified frame including the relay/partner address that it is selected to be the relay/partner in the impending transmission” – See [0032]; The frame comprises a partner address field (RA field set to a MAC address of the wireless relay device), a source address field (TA field set to a MAC address of the wireless transmitter device), and a destination address field (address information identifying the wireless destination device)).
Claims 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (US 2015/0358067) in view of Nandagopalan et al. (US 2008/0310348) and further in view of Hwang et al. (US 2024/0334509).
Regarding Claim 15, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 11. Zhang does not explicitly teach transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the second MAC control frame at the first time window.
However, Hwang teaches transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the second MAC control frame at the first time window (“The AP MLD may transmit an MU-RTS frame or a BSRP trigger frame. If a response to the MU-RTS frame or the BSRP trigger frame is not received, the AP MLD may transmit a CF-End frame for terminating the communication procedure” – See [0157]; The CF-END frame is transmitted to terminate the transmission opportunity if the transmitting device does not detect an RTS frame (second MAC control frame) during the first window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang to include transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the second MAC control frame at the first time window. Motivation for doing so would be to prevent the device from setting an unnecessary NAV (See Hwang, [0157]).
Regarding Claim 16, Zhang in view of Nandagopalan teaches the method of Claim 11. Zhang does not explicitly teach transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the third MAC control frame at the second time window.
However, Hwang teaches transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the third MAC control frame at the second time window (“If a CTS frame is not received in the link 1 after a SIFS from a transmission time point of the MU-RTS frame, the AP MLD may transmit a CF-End frame” – See [0158]; The CF-END frame is transmitted to terminate the transmission opportunity if the transmitting device does not detect a CTS frame (third MAC control frame) during the second window).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang to include transmitting, by the tSTA device, a Contention Free-End (CF-END) frame to terminate the transmission opportunity if the tSTA device does not detect the third MAC control frame at the second time window for the same reasons as those given with respect to Claim 15.
Conclusion
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/SCOTT M SCIACCA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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