DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application #18/444,240 filed 2/16/2024. Claims 1-30 are subject to examination
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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 1, 13, 25, and 30, the claims each recite the limitation “each user field identifying a timing offset for each initiating wireless device of multiple initiating wireless devices” (emphasis added). This limitation renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether a single user field identifies a single timing offset for a single initiating wireless device, or multiple timing offsets, one per initiating wireless device.
Regarding Claims 1 and 25, the claims each recite the limitation “the timing offset identifies a response window associated with each initiating wireless device” (emphasis added). This limitation renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether the timing offset identifies a single response window for a single initiating wireless device, or multiple response windows, one per initiating wireless device.
Regarding Claims 2, 3, 26, and 27, claims 2 and 26 each recite the limitation “the response window occurs within a single null data packet transmission period” (emphasis added), while claims 3 and 27 recite the limitation “receive ... the response signal from each initiating wireless device during ... the single null data packet transmission period” (emphasis added). These limitations appear to indicate a single response window for all initiating wireless devices. However, independent claims 1 and 25, upon which claims 2, 3, 26, and 27 depend, recite the limitation “the timing offset identifies a response window associated with each initiating wireless device” (emphasis added). This limitation appears to indicate a plurality of individual response windows, one per initiating wireless device, rather than a single response window for all devices. Therefore, claims 2, 3, 26, and 27 are indefinite because it is unclear how “the response window” which occurs “within a single null data packet transmission period” recited in these claims corresponds to the device-specific “a response window” previously recited in claims 1 and 25.
Regarding Claims 14 and 15, claim 14 recites the limitation “the response window occurs within a single null data packet transmission period” (emphasis added), while claim 15 recites the limitation “the single null data packet transmission period comprises multiple second periods and each second period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices” (emphasis added). These limitations appear to indicate a single response window for all initiating wireless devices. However, independent claim 13, upon which claims 14 and 15 depend, recites the limitation “each user field identifying a timing offset for each initiating wireless device, wherein the timing offset identifies a response window associated with the initiating wireless device” (emphasis added). This limitation appears to indicate a plurality of individual response windows, one per initiating wireless device, rather than a single response window for all devices. Therefore, claims 14 and 15 are indefinite because it is unclear how “the response window” which occurs “within a single null data packet transmission period” recited in these claims corresponds to the device-specific “a response window” previously recited in claim 13.
Regarding Claims 4-12, 16-24, and 28-29, the claims each depend on claims 1, 13, or 25, and therefore inherit the 35 U.S.C. 112 issues of the independent claims.
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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 7-10, 13-14, 19-22, 25-26, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jiang et al. (US 2020/0092850 A1, hereinafter “Jiang”).
Regarding Claims 1 and 25, Jiang teaches a responding wireless device, comprising: a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the responding wireless device to (Jiang: device 140, may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of an AP STA ... device 140 may include, for example, one or more of a processor 181 ... a memory unit 184 ... Processor 181 executes instructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 140 and/or of one or more suitable applications, see paragraphs [0044]-[0050]):
transmit a sounding signal during a sounding phase of a sounding procedure, the sounding signal indicating multiple user fields, each user field identifying a timing offset for each initiating wireless device of multiple initiating wireless devices, wherein the timing offset identifies a response window associated with each initiating wireless device within the sounding phase (Jiang: the first UL sounding group may include devices 102 and/or 160, and/or the second UL sounding group may include device 180, see paragraph [0263]; device 140 may transmit a trigger frame including the plurality of time-slot allocations to the plurality of UL sounding groups ... to allocate at least a first time slot for a first UL sounding group, and a second time slot for a second UL sounding group, see paragraphs [0272]-[0274]); and
receive a response signal from each initiating wireless device during the sounding phase, each response signal received in the response window according to the timing offset of each initiating wireless device (Jiang: positioning component 157 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 140 to receive, during the first time slot, one or more first UL NDP sounding frames from the first UL sounding group ...[and] receive, during the second time slot, one or more second UL NDP sounding frames from the second UL sounding group, see paragraphs [0275]-[0276]).
Regarding Claims 2 and 26, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 1 or the method of claim 25, wherein the response window occurs within a single null data packet transmission period scheduled in the sounding phase (Jiang: device 140 may be configured to allocate the plurality of time-slots to the plurality of UL sounding groups to separate a plurality of UL NDP sounding frames in the time domain, e.g., by using the plurality of time-slot allocations, see paragraph [0271]). *Examiner’s Note: as indicated in the 112(b) rejection, it is unclear whether “the response window” represents a single response window for all initiating devices or a device-specific response window.
Regarding Claim 7, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 1, wherein the response window occurs within a device-specific null data packet transmission period of multiple null data packet transmission periods scheduled during the sounding phase, each device-specific null data packet transmission period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices (Jiang: device 140 may be configured to allocate the plurality of time-slots to the plurality of UL sounding groups to separate a plurality of UL NDP sounding frames in the time domain, e.g., by using the plurality of time-slot allocations, see paragraph [0271]).
Regarding Claim 8, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 7, wherein, to receive the response signal, the processing system is configured to cause the responding wireless device to: receive the response signal during the device-specific null data packet transmission period of the corresponding initiating wireless device (Jiang: positioning component 157 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 140 to receive, during the first time slot, one or more first UL NDP sounding frames from the first UL sounding group, see paragraph [0275]).
Regarding Claim 9, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 7, wherein the timing offset identifies a starting time for the device-specific null data packet transmission period associated with the corresponding initiating wireless device (Jiang: the plurality of allocations may include a plurality of time-slot allocations for the plurality of UL sounding groups, see paragraph [0269]).
Regarding Claim 10, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 7, wherein the sounding signal comprises a length parameter associated with the device-specific null data packet transmission period (Jiang: the trigger frame may include an indication of a LTF size ... device 102 may be configured to transmit the HE-LTF symbols of the UL NDP sounding frame based on the indication of the LTF size, see paragraphs [0183]-[0184]).
Regarding Claims 13 and 30, Jiang teaches an initiating wireless device, comprising: a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the initiating wireless device to (Jiang: device 102, may include, operate as, and/or perform the functionality of a non-AP STA, see paragraph [0044]; devices 102, 160 and/or 180 may include, for example, one or more of a processor 191 ... a memory unit 194 ... Processor 191 executes instructions, for example, of an Operating System (OS) of device 102 and/or of one or more suitable applications, see paragraphs [0049]-[0050]):
receive a sounding signal during a sounding phase of a sounding procedure, the sounding signal indicating multiple user fields, each user field identifying a timing offset for each initiating wireless device of multiple initiating wireless devices, wherein the timing offset identifies a response window associated with the initiating wireless device within the sounding phase (Jiang: the first UL sounding group may include devices 102 and/or 160, and/or the second UL sounding group may include device 180, see paragraph [0279]; positioning component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 102 to receive the trigger frame from device 140, see paragraph [0281]); and
transmit a response signal during the response window according to the timing offset of the initiating wireless device (Jiang: positioning component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 102 to transmit a UL NDP sounding frame to device 140, e.g., during the first time slot for the first UL sounding group, see paragraph [0282]).
Regarding Claim 14, Jiang teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 13, wherein the response window occurs within a single null data packet transmission period scheduled in the sounding phase (Jiang: positioning component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 102 to transmit a UL NDP sounding frame to device 140, e.g., during the first time slot for the first UL sounding group, see paragraph [0282]). *Examiner’s Note: as indicated in the 112(b) rejection, it is unclear whether “the response window” represents a single response window for all initiating devices or a device-specific response window.
Regarding Claim 19, Jiang teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 13, wherein the response window occurs within a device-specific null data packet transmission period of multiple null data packet transmission periods scheduled during the sounding phase, each device-specific null data packet transmission period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices (Jiang: device 140 may be configured to allocate the plurality of time-slots to the plurality of UL sounding groups to separate a plurality of UL NDP sounding frames in the time domain, e.g., by using the plurality of time-slot allocations, see paragraph [0271]).
Regarding Claim 20, Jiang teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 19, wherein, to transmit the response signal, the processing system is configured to cause the initiating wireless device to: transmit the response signal during the device-specific null data packet transmission period of the initiating wireless device (Jiang: positioning component 117 may be configured to control, cause and/or trigger device 102 to transmit a UL NDP sounding frame to device 140, e.g., during the first time slot for the first UL sounding group, see paragraph [0282]).
Regarding Claim 21, Jiang teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 19, wherein the timing offset identifies a starting time for the device-specific null data packet transmission period associated with the initiating wireless device (Jiang: the plurality of allocations may include a plurality of time-slot allocations for the plurality of UL sounding groups, see paragraph [0269]).
Regarding Claim 22, Jiang teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 19, wherein the sounding signal comprises a length parameter associated with the device-specific null data packet transmission period (Jiang: the trigger frame may include an indication of a LTF size ... device 102 may be configured to transmit the HE-LTF symbols of the UL NDP sounding frame based on the indication of the LTF size, see paragraphs [0183]-[0184]).
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 3, 5, 15, 17, 27, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Chun et al. (US 2018/0359761 A1, hereinafter “Chun”).
Regarding Claims 3 and 27, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 2 or the method of claim 26.
Jiang does not explicitly teach, wherein, to receive the response signal, the processing system is configured to cause the responding wireless device to: receive a common portion of the response signal from each initiating wireless device during a first period of the single null data packet transmission period; and
receive a device-specific portion of the response signal from each initiating wireless devices during a second period of the single null data packet transmission period, wherein the single null data packet transmission period comprises multiple second periods and each second period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chun teaches to receive a common portion of the response signal from each initiating wireless device during a first period of the single null data packet transmission period (Chun: Referring to FIG. 30, the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long training field (L-LTF), a legacy signal (L-SIG) field, a repeated L-SIG (RL-SIG) field, see paragraph [0545]); and
receive a device-specific portion of the response signal from each initiating wireless devices during a second period of the single null data packet transmission period, wherein the single null data packet transmission period comprises multiple second periods and each second period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices (Chun: the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include ... a high efficiency signal (HE-SIG) A field, a high efficiency STF (HE-STF), a high efficiency LTF (HE-LTF) and a packet extension field. The HE-LTF may be included in the NDP frame by a number identical with or greater than the number of spatial streams used for UL transmission of the NDP frame, see paragraphs [0545]-[0546]; each of STA 1 to STA 3 may be allocated spatial streams for uplink data frame transmission, see paragraph [0463]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang to include the features as taught by Chun above in order to enable efficient multi-STA UL sounding (Chun: see paragraph [0013]).
Regarding Claims 5 and 29, Jiang-Chun teaches the responding wireless device of claim 3 or the method of claim 27.
Chun further teaches the device-specific portion comprises a high efficiency short training field (HE STF) and at least one unencrypted high efficiency long training field (HE-LTF) associated with the corresponding initiating wireless device (Chun: the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include ... a high efficiency STF (HE-STF), a high efficiency LTF (HE-LTF), see paragraph [0545]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Chun is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 3.
Regarding Claim 15, Jiang teaches initiating wireless device of claim 14.
Jiang does not explicitly teach wherein, to transmit the response signal, the processing system is configured to cause the initiating wireless device to: transmit a common portion of the response signal during a first period of the single null data packet transmission period; and
transmit a device-specific portion of the response signal during a second period of the single null data packet transmission period, wherein the single null data packet transmission period comprises multiple second periods and each second period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chun teaches to transmit a common portion of the response signal during a first period of the single null data packet transmission period (Chun: Referring to FIG. 30, the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include a legacy-short training field (L-STF), a legacy-long training field (L-LTF), a legacy signal (L-SIG) field, a repeated L-SIG (RL-SIG) field, see paragraph [0545]); and
transmit a device-specific portion of the response signal during a second period of the single null data packet transmission period, wherein the single null data packet transmission period comprises multiple second periods and each second period is associated with a corresponding initiating wireless device in the multiple initiating wireless devices (Chun: the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include ... a high efficiency signal (HE-SIG) A field, a high efficiency STF (HE-STF), a high efficiency LTF (HE-LTF) and a packet extension field. The HE-LTF may be included in the NDP frame by a number identical with or greater than the number of spatial streams used for UL transmission of the NDP frame, see paragraphs [0545]-[0546]; each of STA 1 to STA 3 may be allocated spatial streams for uplink data frame transmission, see paragraph [0463]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang to include the features as taught by Chun above in order to enable efficient multi-STA UL sounding (Chun: see paragraph [0013]).
Regarding Claim 17, Jiang-Chun teaches the initiating wireless device of claim 15.
Chun further teaches the device-specific portion comprises a high efficiency short training field (HE STF) and at least one unencrypted high efficiency long training field (HE-LTF) associated with the corresponding initiating wireless device (Chun: the UL NDP frame of the HE format may include ... a high efficiency STF (HE-STF), a high efficiency LTF (HE-LTF), see paragraph [0545]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Chun is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 15.
Claims 4, 16, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang-Chun in view of Li et al. (US 2019/0182674 A1, hereinafter “Li”).
Regarding Claims 4, 16, and 28, Jiang-Chun teaches the responding wireless device of claim 3, the initiating wireless device of claim 15, or the method of claim 27, but does not explicitly teach, wherein the device-specific portion comprises a high efficiency short training field (HE STF) and at least one encrypted high efficiency long training field (HE-LTF) associated with the corresponding initiating wireless device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Li teaches the device-specific portion comprises a high efficiency short training field (HE STF) and at least one encrypted high efficiency long training field (HE-LTF) associated with the corresponding initiating wireless device (Li: FIG. 11 illustrates a null data packet (NDP) 1100 in accordance with some embodiments. Illustrated in FIG. 11 is legacy portion 1102, HE-signal (SIG)-A 1104, HE-short training field (STF) 1106, and HEz-LTF 1 1108.1 through HEz-LTF N 1108.N. HEz-LTF may be a LTF used in secure mode for IEEE 802.11az ... The method 800 may continue at operation 860 with ISTA 802 transmitting UL NDP 814, which may be encrypted 834, see paragraphs [0107]-[0109]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang-Chun to include the features as taught by Li above in order to enable secure ranging (Li: see paragraph [0002]).
Claims 6 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Zhang et al. (US 8,218,690 B1, hereinafter “Zhang”).
Regarding Claims 6 and 18, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 2 or the initiating wireless device of claim 14, but does not explicitly teach, wherein the timing offset comprises a long training field (LTF) offset indicator.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zhang teaches a timing offset comprising a long training field (LTF) offset indicator (Zhang: the timing offset applied to the first HT-LTF may be a reference value ... The timing offset applied to the first HT-LTF can set a reference for the rest of the packet, as only relative timing offset may be considered in some implementations for HT channel estimation. In various instances, the timing offset applied to each HT-LTF is an integer multiple of the timing offset estimate, see Col. 6 lines 28-36 and Fig. 4B).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang to include the features as taught by Zhang above in order to enable more accurate channel estimation (Zhang: see Col. 6 lines 32-34).
Claims 11 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Lin et al. (US 2024/0275566 A1, hereinafter “Lin”).
Regarding Claims 11 and 23, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 1 or the initiating wireless device of claim 13, but does not explicitly teach, wherein the sounding procedure is performed in an extremely high throughput (EHT) 320-megahertz channel.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Lin teaches the sounding procedure is performed in an extremely high throughput (EHT) 320-megahertz channel (Lin: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 Extremely High Throughput (EHT) amendment, referred to as IEEE 802.11be, explores the possibility to further increase peak throughput and improve efficiency of IEEE 802.11 networks. A list of features to achieve the target increased peak throughput and improved efficiency may include, but are not limited to ... 320 MHz bandwidth ... (EHT) stations (STAs) may use (EHT) sounding protocols, adapted to the features of IEEE 802.11 be, see paragraphs [0095]-[0096]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang to include the features as taught by Lin above in order to increase peak throughput and improve efficiency (Lin: see paragraph [0095]).
Claims 12 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang in view of Jiang et al. (US 2019/0200383 A1, hereinafter “Jiang II”).
Regarding Claims 12 and 24, Jiang teaches the responding wireless device of claim 1 or the initiating wireless device of claim 13, but does not explicitly teach, wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the responding wireless device to: transmit a polling signal during a polling phase of the sounding procedure; and
receive a polling response from each initiating wireless device, wherein the multiple initiating wireless devices are identified based at least in part on the polling response.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Jiang II teaches to transmit a polling signal during a polling phase of the sounding procedure (Jiang II: the master AP to 32 may send a poll trigger frame 236 to poll the anchor stations 233 and 234, see paragraph [0050]); and
receive a polling response from each initiating wireless device, wherein the multiple initiating wireless devices are identified based at least in part on the polling response (Jiang II: The anchor stations 233 and 234 may respond each with a poll response (PR) frame (e.g., PR frame 237 and PR frame 238). The master AP 232 may then send an uplink NDP soliciting trigger frame (UL NDP TF 241) to the anchor stations 233 and 234, see paragraph [0050]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Jiang to include the features as taught by Jiang II above in order to improve system flexibility (Jiang II: see paragraph [0032]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP J EGAN KEARNS whose telephone number is 571-272-4869. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-6 EST.
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/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416