DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This action is responsive to amendments filed on 07/28/2026. Claims 1-8 are currently amended. Claims 1-8 are pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments filed on 07/28/2026 with respect to claims 1-8 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground of rejection necessitated by applicant’s amendment. Wherein the amended claim limitations have changed the scope. Therefore, the examiner did new ground of rejection using Zhang (US 2010/0260159 A1) and Ponnampalam (US 2013/0107912 A1).
Examiner’s Note: Examiner has withdrawn Double Patenting rejection, since the co-pending application “16/905708” is abandonment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
4. Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2010/0260159 A1) in view of Ponnampalam (US 2013/0107912 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 5, Zhang teaches a method performed by a wireless communication device (AP 14) for transmitting physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) (data unit 100—Fig. 5) in wireless local area network (WLAN) ([0019]), the method comprising:
transmitting a first field (L-SIG) ( [0074], Fig. 5--data unit 100 that the AP 14 is configured to transmit to the client station 25-1. Wherein [0087], the 100 includes L-SIG, VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 fields {i.e. VHT-SIGA—[0126]}.) (Hence AP transmits 1st field/L-SIG.); and
transmitting a second field (VHT-SIGA includes VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2—[0126]) after transmitting the first field (L-SIG)(Fig. 5, VHT-SIG after L-SIG) ([0074], Fig. 5--data unit 100 that the AP 14 is configured to transmit to the client station 25-1. Wherein [0087], the 100 includes L-SIG, VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 fields {i.e. VHT-SIGA—[0126]}.)(Hence AP transmits 2nd field/VHT-SIGA after 1st field/L-SIG.);
wherein the second field (VHT-SIGA) consists of a first symbol (VHT-SIG1) and a second symbol (VHT-SIG2) ([0126]; [0091]) that are sequentially transmitted ([0074], Fig. 5--data unit 100 that the AP 14 is configured to transmit to the client station 25-1. Wherein [0087], the 100 includes L-SIG, VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 fields {i.e. VHT-SIGA—[0126]}.)(Hence 2nd field/VHT-SIGA consist 1st symbol/VHT-SIG1 and 2nd symbol/VHT-SIG2 that are sequentially transmitted.);
wherein the first field (L-SIG) and the second field(VHT-SIGA includes VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2—[0126]) are modulated using an identical modulation method(BPSK)([0086]; [0127]; L-SIG, VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 are modulated using BPSK; [0087])(Hence 1st field L-SIG and 2nd filed VHT-SIGA are modulated using BPSK.);
wherein a version(1st communication protocol) of the PPDU (data unit 100) is defined using a modulation method(BPSK) of the first field(L-SIG), a modulation method of the second symbol(VHT-SIG2), and at least one bit value(1/2 BCC) included in the first symbol (VHT-SIG1)([0086]; [0127], If VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 are modulated using BPSK, with r=1/2 binary convolutional code (BCC), this is the same as L-SIG of the IEEE 802.11n Standard. In this embodiment, first communication protocol data unit detection {[0147]}.)(Hence 1st comm protocol data unit is defined using BPSK modulation of 1st field/L-SIG and 2nd symbol/VHT-SIG2, and ½ BCC included in 1st symbol/VHT-SIG1.), and
wherein the second field (VHT-SIGA) is transmitted in a Signal-A (SIG-A) field of a next-generation WLAN frame (100—Fig. 5)( [0074], Fig. 5--data unit 100 that the AP 14 is configured to transmit to the client station 25-1. Wherein [0087], the 100 includes L-SIG, VHT-SIG1 and VHT-SIG2 fields {i.e. VHT-SIGA—[0126]}.).
Zhang teaches data unit (100 that supports 802.11n standard—[0074])
Zhang fails to teach PPDU/PHY protocol data unit.
However, in an analogous art, Ponnampalam teaches PPDU/PHY Protocol data unit (Abstract; [0037], Fig. 4, PPDU conforming to 802.11n comprises field 440- 454.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to take the teaching of Ponnampalam and apply them on the teaching of Zhang to provide WLAN system to support the ever- increasing demand for high data throughput. (Ponnampalam; [0006])
Specifically for Claim 5. Zhang teaches the wireless communication device (AP 14—Fig. 1; [0064]) comprising:
at least one transceiver (21—Fig. 1; [0064]);
at least one processor (15--Fig. 1; [0064]) operably connected to the at least one transceiver (21—Fig. 9; [0064]) (see Fig. 1 that 21 and 15 are connected.), wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
Regarding claims 2 and 6, Zhang further teaches wherein the first symbol of the first field(L-SIG) is modulated using binary phase-shift keying (BPSK) scheme (Fig. 5, [0086], L-SIG is modulated using BPSK.).
Regarding claims 3 and 7, Zhang further teaches wherein the first symbol of the first field(L-SIG) corresponds to Legacy-Signal (L-SIG) field ([0086]; Fig. 5; legacy signal field(L-SIG).).
Regarding claims 4 and 8, Zhang teaches wherein the PPDU (data unit 100) includes a Legacy-Short Training (Legacy-Short Training) filed, and a Legacy-Long Training (L-LTF) field before the first symbol(L-SIG) (see Fig. 5).
Zhang teaches data unit (100 that supports 802.11n standard—[0074])
Zhang fails to teach PPDU/PHY protocol data unit.
However, in an analogous art, Ponnampalam teaches PPDU/PHY Protocol data unit (Abstract; [0037], Fig. 4, PPDU conforming to 802.11n comprises field 440- 454.)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to take the teaching of Ponnampalam and apply them on the teaching of Zhang to provide WLAN system to support the ever- increasing demand for high data throughput. (Ponnampalam; [0006])
Conclusion
5. 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.
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEHEDI S ALEY whose telephone number is (571)270-0439. The examiner can normally be reached Mon, Thus, Fri: 9-5.
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/MEHEDI S ALEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2415
/JEFFREY M RUTKOWSKI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2415
