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
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on January 12, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 7, 14, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muhanna et al. (US 2024/0072920 A1) in view of Parkar et al. (US 2024/0007897 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 19 and 20, Muhanna discloses a radio device (Paragraph 0048 discloses device comprising Internal storage system 723 can comprise any non-transitory computer readable storage media capable of storing firmware and/or software 760 that is executable by processing circuitry 719) configured for radio communication as a master device over each of a plurality of connections between the master device and a respective plurality of slave devices (Fig. 4, paragraph 0031 discloses network configuration, all of the n slave nodes 30 may be individually paired with the master node 10 through a specifically (e.g., predetermined or assigned) time ordering of establishment of the respective wireless communication links 55. Effectively, the single network can be setup separately in the superframe scheme, with one downlink and one uplink allocated to respectively slotted times), wherein the radio device is configured to schedule radio transmissions over the plurality of connections by: for each time period of a succession of time periods, assigning to each of the plurality of connections a respective first time slot, within the time period, for radio transmissions between the radio device and the respective slave device (Paragraph 0032 discloses master node establish link with first slave node, second dlave node, third slave node or nth slave node using established link at respective time slots. As each of the slave nodes 30-1, . . . , 30-n is given a unique time slot according to the predetermined consecutive ordering in the wireless network configuration of FIG. 4, the main processor 15 of the master node 10 (and thus also a user of WBMS 1) may be able to easily match data or debug physical devices (e.g., battery cell(s) 50) from a specified slave node 10 time slot assignment)
wherein the first time slots within the time period are non-overlapping and are all located within a first portion of the time period (Paragraphs 0037-0038 disclose method 600 may further include the step of consecutively receiving 620, e.g., by the master transceiver 20 of master node 10 and via communication links 55, uplink (UL) transmissions from the n slave nodes in the non-overlapping time slots of superframe 100. Paragraph 0039 discloses method 600 may additionally include the step of identifying 650 each of the n slave nodes 30 based on which time slot of the non-overlapping time slots of the superframe 100 that a UL transmission is received 620 from a respective slave node 30 of the n slave nodes 30).
Muhanna does not explicitly disclose in response to a request to provide additional time to a first connection of the plurality of connections, for radio transmissions between the master device and a first slave device of the plurality of slave devices, assigning to the first connection an additional time allocation within a second portion of a time period of the succession of time periods, the second portion occurring after the first portion of the time period.
In an analogous art, Parkar discloses in response to a request to provide additional time to a first connection of the plurality of connections, for radio transmissions between the master device and a first slave device of the plurality of slave devices, assigning to the first connection an additional time allocation within a second portion of a time period of the succession of time periods, the second portion occurring after the first portion of the time period (Paragraph 0054 discloses the control circuitry (104) may be further configured to implement time division multiplexing with the plurality of nodes (102) in the wireless mesh network. For example, the control circuitry (104) may be configured to allocate time slots to each node of the plurality of nodes (102) such that each node of the plurality of nodes (102) may communicate with the control circuitry (104) only during the allocated time slots. In an embodiment, reach node of the plurality of nodes (102) may be configured to generate a time slot request for additional time slots. Further, each node of the plurality of nodes (102) may be configured to provide the time slot request to the control circuitry (104) over the communication network (106). In an embodiment, the control circuitry (104) may be configured to allocate additional time slots to each node of the plurality of nodes (102) based on the time slot request).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Parkar to the system of Muhanna to provide an invention that relate to the field of management of congestion in a mesh network and more particularly, a system and method for reducing the congestion in the mesh network (Abstract, Parkar).
Regarding claim 7, Muhanna discloses further configured to transmit, to each slave device, data that identifies the respective first time slot that is assigned to the respective slave device (Paragraph 0028 discloses pon a commencement of network formation at to in WBMS 1 according to the known implementation, wireless communication links 55 are established without a consecutive or other specifically assigned time ordered scheme that could be used for uniquely identifying each of the slave nodes 30 to the main or master node 10).
Regarding claim 14, Muhanna does not explicitly disclose configured to receive the request to provide additional time to the first connection by radio from the first slave device.
In an analogous art, Parkar discloses configured to receive the request to provide additional time to the first connection by radio from the first slave device (Paragraph 0054 discloses the control circuitry (104) may be further configured to implement time division multiplexing with the plurality of nodes (102) in the wireless mesh network. For example, the control circuitry (104) may be configured to allocate time slots to each node of the plurality of nodes (102) such that each node of the plurality of nodes (102) may communicate with the control circuitry (104) only during the allocated time slots. In an embodiment, reach node of the plurality of nodes (102) may be configured to generate a time slot request for additional time slots. Further, each node of the plurality of nodes (102) may be configured to provide the time slot request to the control circuitry (104) over the communication network (106). In an embodiment, the control circuitry (104) may be configured to allocate additional time slots to each node of the plurality of nodes (102) based on the time slot request).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Parkar to the system of Muhanna to provide an invention that relate to the field of management of congestion in a mesh network and more particularly, a system and method for reducing the congestion in the mesh network (Abstract, Parkar).
Claims 2-3, 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muhanna et al. (US 2024/0072920 A1) in view of Parkar et al. (US 2024/0007897 A1) and further in view of Malreddy et al. (US 9,215,707 B1).
Regarding claim 2, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of wherein the time periods of the succession of time periods are contiguous time periods of equal duration.
In an analogous art, Malreddy discloses wherein the time periods of the succession of time periods are contiguous time periods of equal duration (Figs 5-6, Col. 12, lines 20-65 disclose the time period is divided into contiguous cycles of equal duration).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Malreddy to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide methods and systems for prioritizing time-division multiplexed communications resources at a femtocell. A femtocell initially provides time-division-multiplexed wireless service to a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs) using a first number of slots per cycle, each WCD in the plurality having at least one assigned slot (Abstract, Malreddy).
Regarding claim 3, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of wherein the first portion and second portion of each time period of the succession of time periods together contain all radio transmissions sent over the plurality of connections during the time period.
In an analogous art, Malreddy discloses wherein the first portion and second portion of each time period of the succession of time periods together contain all radio transmissions sent over the plurality of connections during the time period (Figs 5-6, Col. 12, lines 20-65 disclose the time period is divided into contiguous cycles of equal duration. Fig. 4, Col 11, lines 19-55, also discloses a method of a femtocell providing time-division-multiplexed wireless service to wireless communication devices (WCDs) during a time period divided into contiguous cycles, wherein each cycle is divided into contiguous slots, the method comprising: during a first cycle, the femtocell (i) receiving, from each of a plurality of WCDs, at least one respective request to use a resource and (ii) assigning each of the plurality of WCDs to a respective slot of the first cycle; the femtocell providing service to each of the plurality of WCDs during the respective assigned slot of the first cycle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Malreddy to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide methods and systems for prioritizing time-division multiplexed communications resources at a femtocell. A femtocell initially provides time-division-multiplexed wireless service to a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs) using a first number of slots per cycle, each WCD in the plurality having at least one assigned slot (Abstract, Malreddy).
Regarding claim 6, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of wherein, for each time period, each connection is assigned exactly one time slot in the first portion of the time period..
In an analogous art, Malreddy discloses wherein, for each time period, each connection is assigned exactly one time slot in the first portion of the time period (Figs 5-6, Col. 12, lines 20-65 disclose the time period is divided into contiguous cycles of equal duration).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Malreddy to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide methods and systems for prioritizing time-division multiplexed communications resources at a femtocell. A femtocell initially provides time-division-multiplexed wireless service to a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs) using a first number of slots per cycle, each WCD in the plurality having at least one assigned slot (Abstract, Malreddy).
Regarding claim 16, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of configured, for each time period, to assign all of the connection events of the time period to a single respective connection.
In an analogous art, Malreddy discloses configured, for each time period, to assign all of the connection events of the time period to a single respective connection (Col 4, lines 42-65 discloses the femtocell, during a first time period, provides time-division-multiplexed wireless service to a plurality of WCDs using a first number of slots per cycle, wherein each WCD in the plurality has at least one assigned slot. In response to detecting the above-mentioned trigger, the femtocell, for a second time period, reduces the number of slots per cycle from the first number of slots per cycle to a second number of slots per cycle less than the first).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Malreddy to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide methods and systems for prioritizing time-division multiplexed communications resources at a femtocell. A femtocell initially provides time-division-multiplexed wireless service to a plurality of wireless communication devices (WCDs) using a first number of slots per cycle, each WCD in the plurality having at least one assigned slot (Abstract, Malreddy).
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muhanna et al. (US 2024/0072920 A1) in view of Parkar et al. (US 2024/0007897 A1) and further in view of Park et al. (US 2019/0253232 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of wherein the first portions of the succession of time periods all have a same first duration and the second portions all have a same second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration.
In an analogous art, Park discloses wherein the first portions of the succession of time periods all have a same first duration and the second portions all have a same second duration, wherein the second duration is longer than the first duration (Paragraph 0130 discloses a second time period associated with the generation of the at least one packet (e.g., the K2 delay for eMBB packet generation 412, 512) may be longer than a first time period associated with the decoding the PI and the performing the power reduction ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Park to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide a solution using slot-based PI transmission in which the base station transmits a PI using a preconfigured mini-slot in each slot. The eMBB UE(s) within the network may receive an indication (e.g., via RRC singling, preconfigured information, etc.) of which mini-slot in each slot will be used for PI transmission (Abstract, Park).
Regarding claim 5, Muhanna and Parkar do not explicitly disclose the mechanism of wherein the first time slots all have a same time-slot duration, and wherein, for each time period, the first time slots within the time period fully occupy the first portion of the time period.
In an analogous art, Park discloses wherein the first time slots all have a same time-slot duration, and wherein, for each time period, the first time slots within the time period fully occupy the first portion of the time period (Paragraph 0130 discloses the first time period associated with the decoding the PI and the performing the power reduction (e.g., the K2 delay for preemption 416, 516 in FIGS. 4 and 5) is less than an entire slot duration (e.g., 14 symbols, seven two-symbol mini-slots in FIGS. 4 and 5). In certain other configurations, the apparatus 702/702′ for wireless communication may include means for transmitting at least one packet with the reduced transmission power on the one or more resources in the second slot or means for refraining from transmitting the at least one packet on the one or more resources in the second slot).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Park to the modified system of Muhanna and Parkar to provide a solution using slot-based PI transmission in which the base station transmits a PI using a preconfigured mini-slot in each slot. The eMBB UE(s) within the network may receive an indication (e.g., via RRC singling, preconfigured information, etc.) of which mini-slot in each slot will be used for PI transmission (Abstract, Park).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-13, 15 and 17-18 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:
HAYASHI (US 2023/0069599 A1) discloses the master node 11 then transmits the bandwidth extension instructn to all the slave nodes 12 in the network (Step S102). The master node 11 transmits the bandwidth extension instruction using the time slots assigned to the master node 11. Alternatively, before the start of communication between the master node 11 and the slave node 12, the master node 11 may use any of the time slots illustrated in FIG. 2 to transmit the bandwidth extension instruction (Paragraph 0028).
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/ROMANI OHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413