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 (IDS) submitted on 01/22/2024, 05/16/2024, and 02/27/2026 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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, and 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (US 20220014305).
Regarding claim 1, Hsu discloses a non-access point (AP) multi-link device (MLD) associated with an AP MLD in a wireless network, the non-AP MLD comprising: at least two stations (STAs), each STA being affiliated with the non-AP MLD; and a processor coupled to the at least two STAs (Wi-Fi MLD 102 includes a processor 112, a memory 114, a control circuit 116, a receive (RX) circuit 118, a transmit (TX) circuit 120, and multiple antennas 122. MLD 102 is a non-AP STA and the Wi-Fi MLD 104 is an AP, the control circuit 116 controls the TX circuit 120 to deal with uplink (UL) traffic between AP and non-AP STA, and controls the RX circuit 118 to deal with downlink (DL) traffic between AP and non-AP STA. TX circuit 120 includes multiple TX chains, and the RX circuit 118 includes multiple RX chains; [0025]), the processor configured to cause:
communicating with the AP MLD on a plurality of links established between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD (Wi-Fi MLD 104 may be an AP, the Wi-Fi MLD 102 may be a non-AP STA, and the Wi-Fi MLD 102 on a link may set a default transmit (TX) NSS=1 and a maximum TX NSS=4. On each link, the Wi-Fi MLD 102 operates under a default mode listening to the channel; [0036]);
generating a notification indicating a change in a set of numbers of supported spatial streams for each of one or more links established between the non-AP MLD and the AP MLD (Wi-Fi MLD 102 on a link may set a default transmit (TX) NSS=1 and a maximum TX NSS=4. On each link, the Wi-Fi MLD 102 operates under a default mode listening to the channel. The control circuit 116 controls the TX circuit 120 to transmit an RTS frame on a link to initialize a TXOP. The RTS frame is transmitted based on the default operation mode parameter (e.g., TX NSS=1). In this embodiment, the RTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of TX NSS=2; [0036]);
transmitting a frame including the notification to the AP MLD (RTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of TX NSS=2; [0036]); and
initiating radio reconfiguration on the one or more links using the change in the set of numbers of supported spatial streams for each of the one or more links (control circuit 116 controls the TX circuit 120 to operate under a changed operation mode parameter (e.g., TX NSS=2) and other unchanged parameters, and transmit one or more UL PPDUs on the link during a remaining period of the TXOP. Hence, during the remaining period of the TXOP, UL PPDU(s) can be transmitted by TX NSS=2; [0036]).
Regarding claim 3, Hsu discloses receiving a response frame in response to the notification from the AP MLD (CTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of RX NSS=2; [0033]); and
initiating the radio reconfiguration on the one or more links using the change in the set of numbers of supported spatial streams for each of the one or more links (Wi-Fi MLD 102 will control the RX circuit 118 to switch another RX chain to the link for enhancing the RX NSS capability; [0033]).
Regarding claim 5, Hsu discloses wherein the notification includes a first field indicating the one or more links and one or more second fields, each second field indicating a change in a number of supported spatial streams for a respective link indicated in the first field (CTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of RX NSS=2, and also carries an RX chain bitmap BMP. After the CTS frame received by the Wi-Fi MLD (which is an AP) 104, the Wi-Fi MLD 104 refers to the RX chain bitmap BMP to decide to do sounding, and initiates a sounding process by sending an NDPA frame and an NDP frame, where the RX chain bitmap BMP indicates the RX NSS employed by Wi-Fi MLD (which is a no-AP STA) 102. The Wi-Fi MLD 102 replies with a CQI FB during the sounding process, where the CQI FB is based on the RX bitmap BMP carried in the CTS frame; [0040]).
Regarding claim 7, Hsu discloses wherein the notification indicates a decrease in a number of supported spatial streams for a first link established between a first ST A affiliated with the non-AP MLD and a first AP affiliated with the AP MLD (Wi-Fi MLD 104 may be an AP, the Wi-Fi MLD 102 may be a non-AP STA, and the Wi-Fi MLD 102 on a link may set a maximum RX NSS=4. CTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of RX NSS=2, and also carries an RX chain bitmap BMP; [0040]).
Regarding claim 8, Hsu discloses transmitting, to the AP MLD, another frame includes a notification indicating an increase in a number of supported spatial streams for a second link established between a second STA affiliated with the non-AP MLD and a second AP affiliated with the AP MLD after the radio reconfiguration is completed (RTS frame is transmitted based on the default operation mode parameter (e.g., TX NSS=1). In this embodiment, the RTS frame carries indication IND of operation mode parameter change that specifies the use of TX NSS=2. In other words, the Wi-Fi MLD 102 will control the TX circuit 120 to switch another TX chain to the link for enhancing the TX NSS capability. The RX circuit 118 receives a CTS frame responsive to the RTS frame from Wi-Fi MLD (which is an AP) 104 on the same link, where the RTS/CTS mechanism claims a TXOP for frame exchange. After the CTS frame is received by the RX circuit 118, the control circuit 116 controls the TX circuit 120 to operate under a changed operation mode parameter (e.g., TX NSS=2); [0036]).
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 1. Furthermore, Hsu discloses an AP MLD comprising: at least two APs, each AP being affiliated with the AP MLD (Wi-Fi communication system 100 is allowed to have more than two Wi-Fi MLDs, including an AP and more than one non-AP STA in the same basic service set (BSS). By way of example, but not limitation, both of Wi-Fi MLDs 102 and 104 may be in compliance with IEEE 802.11be standard; [0024]).
Regarding claim 14, Hsu discloses wherein the frame is a broadcast frame (the initial Control frame of the frame exchange sequence that is initiated by the AP MLD may be a trigger frame, such as a multi-user request to send (MU-RTS) frame or a buffer status report poll (BSRP) frame; [0042]).
Regarding claim 15, Hsu discloses wherein the frame is an individually addressed frame (an AP MLD uses an RTS frame as an initial Control frame of a frame exchange sequence; [0042]).
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 5.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 7.
Regarding claim 18, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 8.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 2 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (US 20220014305) in view of Lu et al. (US 20220346171).
Regarding claim 2, Hsu does not expressly disclose wherein the set of numbers of supported spatial streams includes a set of numbers of supported spatial streams for one or more modulation and coding schemes for each of the one or more links.
In an analogous art, Lu discloses wherein the set of numbers of supported spatial streams includes a set of numbers of supported spatial streams for one or more modulation and coding schemes for each of the one or more links (transmit a frame to the AP MLD indicating maximum numbers of supported spatial streams (NSS) corresponding to a specific modulation and coding schemes (MCS) value in a PPDU; [0024]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Lu into the system of Hsu in order for enhanced multi-link capable devices to improve their performance based on their computational capabilities and RF design (Lu; [0006]).
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 2.
Claim(s) 4, 6, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (US 20220014305) in view of Kwon et al. (US 20220104261).
Regarding claim 4, Hsu does not expressly disclose initiating the radio reconfiguration on the one or more links using the change in the set of numbers of supported spatial streams for each of the one or more links after a predetermined time following the transmission of the frame.
In an analogous art, Kwon discloses initiating the radio reconfiguration on the one or more links using the change in the set of numbers of supported spatial streams for each of the one or more links after a predetermined time following the transmission of the frame (non-AP MLD may be subject to its spatial stream capabilities, operation mode, and/or link switch delay when receiving a PPDU that is sent using more than one spatial stream Short Interframe Space (SIFS) after the initial frame exchange sequence of the TXOP; [0054]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Kwon into the system of Hsu in order to enable exchange of frames in multi-link communications in environments with MLDs with different capabilities (Kwon; [0006]).
Regarding claim 6, Hsu does not expressly disclose wherein the notification includes a third field indicating when the changed number of supported spatial streams is applicable on the respective link.
In an analogous art, Kwon discloses wherein the notification includes a third field indicating when the changed number of supported spatial streams is applicable on the respective link (transmitting the initial frame may involve indicating a link switch delay, a link switch delay for multi-link monitoring, a frame type restriction of the initial frame, an NSS, and/or a PPDU type during the TXOP; [0057]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Kwon into the system of Hsu in order to enable exchange of frames in multi-link communications in environments with MLDs with different capabilities (Kwon; [0006]).
Regarding claim 12, Hsu does not expressly disclose wherein the notification includes a timer information indicating when the radio configuration is initiated.
In an analogous art, Kwon discloses wherein the notification includes a timer information indicating when the radio configuration is initiated (non-AP MLD may need to switch its Radio Frequency (RF) chains to operate on a link that is included in a set of links in less than a first time (e.g., T1) after receiving an initial frame from an AP MLD on the link. As an example, the first time may be indicated to the AP MLD as part of the non-AP MLD's capabilities, or the first time may be a value that is determined by a standard (e.g., the EHT communication protocol, the HE communication protocol, etc.); [0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Kwon into the system of Hsu in order to enable exchange of frames in multi-link communications in environments with MLDs with different capabilities (Kwon; [0006]).
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 4.
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (US 20220014305) in view of Kang et al. (US 20130010664).
Regarding claim 9, Hsu does not expressly disclose transitioning the first STA to a doze state when the change number of supported spatial streams for the first STA is zero.
In an analogous art, Kang discloses transitioning the first STA to a doze state when the change number of supported spatial streams for the first STA is zero (step of entering the doze state until the end of the TXOP may include determining whether the wireless device is a member of the group of recipients identified by the group ID, determining the number of spatial stream transmitted to the wireless device if the wireless device is not the member of the group of recipients and entering the doze state until the end of the TXOP if the power saving indicator indicates an allowance of entering the doze state and the number of spatial streams transmitted to the wireless device is zero; [0015]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Kang into the system of Hsu in order to enable non access point stations to perform power saving in transmission opportunity according to characteristic of data frame transmitted from AP and transmission target non-AP station group allocated by the AP (Kang; [0019]).
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 9.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu et al. (US 20220014305) in view of Yang et al. (US 20240187168).
Regarding claim 20, Hsu does not expressly disclose coordinating that the first AP transmits a clear to send (CTS) frame when the change number of supported spatial streams for the first AP is zero, wherein a receiver address in the CTS frame is equal to an address of the first AP.
In an analogous art, Yang discloses coordinating that the first AP transmits a clear to send (CTS) frame when the change number of supported spatial streams for the first AP is zero, wherein a receiver address in the CTS frame is equal to an address of the first AP (non-AP MLD that supports the EMLSR switches a spatial stream/antenna on another link (which refers to the second link herein) to the first link, to perform the frame exchange with the AP. After switching, there are a plurality of spatial streams on the first link. When the EMLSR non-AP MLD determines that any preset condition in the preset condition set is met, the EMLSR non-AP MLD switches some spatial streams/antennas on the first link back to the second link, and performs the listening operation on each of the first link and the second link. the PPDU is not a frame sent to the station in a unicast manner, a trigger frame indicated by a user information (User Info) field and sent to the station, a CTS-to-self frame sent by the AP (associated with the station); [0424-0425]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Yang into the system of Hsu in order to enable the AP simultaneous service of STA, thus improving the communication efficiency (Yang; [0006]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Merlin et al. (US 20130272347), “PROVIDING TRANSMISSION PARAMETERS FOR MULTI-USER COMMUNICATION.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OUSSAMA ROUDANI whose telephone number is (571)272-4727. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/OUSSAMA ROUDANI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413