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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 11, 15-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aio (US 2022/0287095 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Aio discloses a first access point (AP) (Fig. 16, AP2) comprising:
one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first AP to (Fig. 29, CPU 301, RAM 303, Storage Unit 308, [0332]-[0333], [0335] disclosing the CPU loads a program stored on storage 308 to RAM 303 and executes the program to perform the disclosed embodiments (i.e., above-described series of processing)):
transmit, to a second AP, a first frame comprising a request to the second AP to switch a channel of operation from a first channel to a second channel (Fig. 16, S164, [0213]-[0214] disclosing AP2 transmits a Coordination Request Frame comprising PCH Change request info. including channel switching request information for requesting the switching of the primary channel (PCH) of the AP1; [0058] disclosing PCH is the acronym for primary channel); and
receive, from the second AP, a second frame comprising a response to the request (Fig. 16, S165, [0215]-[0216] disclosing AP2 receives Coordination Response Frame including the channel switching result from AP1).
Regarding claim 2, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the first AP and the second AP are members of a coordinated AP set (Fig. 2, [0049]-[0053]).
Regarding claim 3, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a first indication of a first set of channels (Fig. 17, [0223], [0227]).
Regarding claim 4, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 3, wherein the second frame comprises a second indication of a channel from the first set of channels (Fig. 18, [0231]-[0233]).
Regarding claim 5, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 3, wherein the second frame comprises a second indication of a second set of channels (Fig. 18, [0231]-[0234]).
Regarding claim 6, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 5, wherein the second set of channels is a subset of the first set of channels (Fig. 18, [0231]-[0233]).
Regarding claim 8, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the response comprises a rejection of the request to switch the channel of operation from the first channel to the second channel ([0215], Fig. 18, [0233], [0235]).
Regarding claim 11, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the second frame comprises an extended channel switch announcement action frame, the extended channel switch announcement action frame comprising a multi-AP channel switch element indicating acceptance or rejection of the request to the second AP ([0215], Fig. 18, [0233], [0235]).
Regarding claim 15, Aio discloses a first access point (AP) (Fig. 16 AP1) comprising:
one or more processors; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the first AP to (Fig. 29, CPU 301, RAM 303, Storage Unit 308, [0332]-[0333], [0335] disclosing the CPU loads a program stored on storage 308 to RAM 303 and executes the program to perform the disclosed embodiments (i.e., above-described series of processing)):
receive, from a second AP, a first frame comprising a request to switch a channel of operation from a first channel to a second channel (Fig. 16, S144, [0213]-[0215] disclosing AP1 receives a Coordination Request Frame comprising PCH Change request info. including channel switching request information for requesting the switching of the primary channel (PCH) of the AP1; [0058] disclosing PCH is the acronym for primary channel); and
transmit, to the second AP, a second frame comprising a response to the request (Fig. 16, S145, [0215] disclosing AP1 transmits a Coordination Response Frame including the channel switching result).
Regarding claim 16, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 15, wherein the first frame comprises a first indication of a first set of channels (Fig. 17, [0223], [0227]).
Regarding claim 17, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 16, wherein the second frame comprises a second indication of a channel from the first set of channels (Fig. 18, [0231]-[0233]).
Regarding claim 18, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 16, wherein the second frame comprises a second indication of a second set of channels (Fig. 18, [0231]-[0234]).
Regarding claim 20, Aio discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a first access point (AP) to (Fig. 29, RAM 303; [0332]-[0333], [0335] disclosing the CPU loads a program stored on storage 308 to RAM 303 and executes the program to perform the disclosed embodiments (i.e., above-described series of processing) ):
transmit, to a second AP, a first frame comprising a request to the second AP to switch a channel of operation from a first channel to a second channel (Fig. 16, S164, [0213]-[0214] disclosing AP2 transmits a Coordination Request Frame comprising PCH Change request info. including channel switching request information for requesting the switching of the primary channel (PCH) of the AP1; [0058] disclosing PCH is the acronym for primary channel); and
receive, from the second AP, a second frame comprising a response to the request (Fig. 16, S165, [0215]-[0216] disclosing AP2 receives Coordination Response Frame including the channel switching result from AP1).
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.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aio (US 2022/0287095 A1) in view of Minotani et al. (US 2024/0414596 A1) in view of Merlin et al. (US 2013/0070701 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Aio discloses the first AP of claim 5, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, result in a channel form the second set of channels being a different primary channel (Fig. 20, [0253]-[0254]).
Aio does not disclose the following; however, Minotani discloses techniques for multi-AP coordination in which a sharing AP and a shared AP utilize the same primary channel (Fig. 5, [0058]-[0059]) in which both APs switch to the same channel (e.g. a channel from the second set of channels) ([0082]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the invention to modify the techniques of Ai as suggested by Minotani because these technique can improve the efficiency of coordinated communication ([0012]).
Merlin discloses transmit a third frame comprising a third indication of a channel from the second set of channels ([0052]-[0054] disclosing use of the known 802.11 channel switch announcement or extended channel switch announcement to advertise an imminent channel switch).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the techniques of Aio to perfume the advertisement of Merlin because it ensures the devices connected to the first AP can be informed of an imminent switch of the channel and the time at which it will occur in advance of the switch ([0052]-[0054]).
Claim(s) 9, 14 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aio (US 2022/0287095 A1) in view of Yang et al. (EP 4131830 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Aio does not disclose the following; however Yang suggests the first AP of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises an extended channel switch announcement action frame, the extended channel switch announcement action frame comprising a multi-AP channel switch element indicating the request to the second AP ([0084] disclosing a first device can be an AP or a STA and a second device can be an AP or a STA; pg. 1 Item 2, [0089] disclosing the techniques are applicable to a first AP indicating channel information to a second AP where the indication information can be accepted or rejected, analogous to Aio; [0160]-[0161], [0166] disclosing an example, for ease of description, between a STA and an AP, the frame carrying the channel switch element carrying the requested channel indication can be a channel indication information is carried in an extended channel switch announcement frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as suggested by Yang because this provides a more flexible system that can also allow the first AP specify an operating bandwidth of the channel being requested ([0089]).
Regarding claim 14, Aio does not disclose the following; however, Yang discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the first AP comprises a master AP and the second AP comprises a slave AP ([0089] primary AP and secondary AP).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as suggested by Yang because this provides a more flexible system that can also allow the first AP specify an operating bandwidth of the channel being requested ([0089]).
Regarding claim 19, Aio does not disclose the following; however Yang suggests the first AP of claim 15, wherein the second frame comprises an extended channel switch announcement action frame, the extended channel switch announcement action frame comprising a multi-AP channel switch element indicating acceptance or rejection of the request from the second AP ([0084] disclosing a first device can be an AP or a STA and a second device can be an AP or a STA; pg. 1 Item 2, [0089] disclosing the techniques are applicable to a first AP indicating channel information to a second AP where the indication information can be accepted or rejected, analogous to Aio; [0160]-[0161], [0166] disclosing an example, for ease of description, between a STA and an AP, the frame carrying the channel switch element carrying the requested channel indication can be a channel indication information is carried in an extended channel switch announcement frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as suggested by Yang because this provides a more flexible system that can also allow the first AP specify an operating bandwidth of the channel being requested ([0089]).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aio (US 2022/0287095 A1) in view of Minotani et al. (US 2024/0414596 A1) in view of Yang et al. (EP 4131830 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Aio does not disclose the following; however, Minotani suggests the first AP of claim 1, wherein the first frame comprises a trigger frame, the trigger frame comprising a user information field indicating the second AP, the second channel (Fig. 16, [0137]-[0140] shared AP corresponding to the second AP, sharing AP primary channel corresponding to the second channel). Further, Minotani discloses a channel switch announcement frame comprising a duration in which the second AP is requested to switch from the first channel to the second channel (Fig. 25, Channel switch Count) albeit not disclosed within the trigger frame.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date if the invention to modify the techniques of Ai as suggested by Minotani because these technique can improve the efficiency of coordinated communication ([0012]).
Yang suggests placing the channel announce frame or the extended channel announce frame in the trigger frame ([0084] disclosing a first device can be an AP or a STA and a second device can be an AP or a STA; pg. 1 Item 2, [0089] disclosing the techniques are applicable to a first AP indicating channel information to a second AP where the indication information can be accepted or rejected, analogous to Aio; [0160]-[0161], [0166] disclosing an example, for ease of description, between a STA and an AP, the frame carrying the channel switch element carrying the requested channel indication can be a channel indication information is carried in an extended channel switch announcement frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as suggested by Yang because this provides a more flexible system that can also allow the first AP specify an operating bandwidth of the channel being requested ([0089]).
Claim(s) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aio (US 2022/0287095 A1) in view of Bajko (US 2019/0223056 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Aio does not disclose the following; however, Bajko discloses the first AP of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the first AP to transmit, to one or more associated stations, a third frame comprising an extended channel switch announcement element ([0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as taught by Bajko because the teaching lies in Bajko that providing wireless stations with information indicating when the wireless AP will begin broadcasting on the new channel to improve the efficiency of wireless networks ([0005]).
Regarding claim 13, Aio does not disclose the following; however, Bajko discloses the first AP of claim 12, wherein the third frame comprises a beacon frame, an association response frame, an authentication response frame, or an action frame ([0045] beacon, extended channel switch announcement frame (e.g. ,action frame)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the techniques of Aio as taught by Bajko because the teaching lies in Bajko that providing wireless stations with information indicating when the wireless AP will begin broadcasting on the new channel to improve the efficiency of wireless networks ([0005]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph A Bednash whose telephone number is (571)270-7500. The examiner can normally be reached 7 AM - 4:30 PM M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached at (571)272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOSEPH A BEDNASH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461