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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(c), the Applicant's submissions of the Information Disclosure Statement is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P. 609 C(2), a copy of the PTOL-1449 initialed and dated by the examiner is attached to the instant office action.
Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement has been received, entered into the record, and considered. See attached form PTO-1449.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cherian et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0078844 A1 and Cherian hereinafter).
Regarding Claims 1, 11 and 13, Cherian teaches an electronic device, comprising: an antenna node communicatively coupled to an antenna; (Figure 1, whole figure, infra):
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and an interface circuit (Figure 1, whole figure), communicatively coupled to the antenna node, configured to communicate (Figure 1, whole figure) with a second electronic device, wherein the interface circuit is configured to (Figure 1, whole figure):
provide a management frame addressed (i.e. the MAC header 414 may include a number of fields containing information that defines or indicates characteristics or attributes of data encapsulated within the frame body 416. The MAC header 414 also includes a number of fields indicating addresses for the data encapsulated within the frame body 416. For example, the MAC header 414 may include a combination of a source address, a transmitter address, a receiver address, or a destination address. The MAC header 414 may include a frame control field containing control information. The frame control field specifies the frame type, for example, a data frame, a control frame, or a management frame. The MAC header 414 may further include a duration field indicating a duration extending from the end of the PPDU until the end of an acknowledgment (ACK)) Para [0063] to the second electronic device (Figure 1, whole figure):
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;
provide a trigger frame addressed to the second electronic device, wherein the trigger frame (i.e., first frame M1 may be an MU-RTS trigger frame including the association identifier (AID) of each identified STA. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate) Para [0087] comprises a trigger-frame variant that is compatible with a standard (i.e., first frame M1 may be an MU-RTS trigger frame including the association identifier (AID) of each identified STA. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate, to the one or more identified STAs, time and frequency resources that can be used for uplink transmissions, downlink transmissions, or both. Although not shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity, each of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a frame (such as a CTS frame or an ACK frame) to acknowledge receipt of the MU-RTS trigger frame) Para [0087]; and receive a modified response frame associated with the second electronic device, wherein at least one modification to the modified response frame is specified by the management frame (i.e., the AP may advertise the restricted TWT session using a TWT Element carried in beacon frames or other management frames (such as probe response frames, association response frames, and reassociation response frames). The TWT Element may indicate the existence of the restricted TWT session, may indicate that the restricted TWT session is associated with P2P communications or traffic, and may indicate one or more parameters of the restricted TWT session) Para [0137].
Regarding Claims 2 and 14, Cherian teaches wherein the interface circuit is configured to provide an additional frame between the management frame and the trigger frame (i.e., scheduling frame may be a trigger frame including the AID of each STA identified or scheduled for the respective scheduled opportunity. In some instances, the trigger frame may be an MU-RTS trigger frame including one or more Per User Info fields indicating allowed durations of P2P transmissions from one or more respective STAs during the corresponding scheduled opportunity. In some other instances, the trigger frame may be a BSRP trigger frame including one or more Per User Info fields indicating the allowed durations of P2P transmissions from one or more respective STAs during the corresponding scheduled opportunity. In some other instances, each Per User Info field carried in the MU-RTS trigger frame or the BSRP trigger frame may indicate an amount of time that the respective STA is to delay accessing the wireless channel during the corresponding scheduled opportunity) Para [0163]; wherein the additional frame is different from both the management frame and the trigger frame, and the additional frame is addressed to the second electronic device or a third electronic device (Figure 1, whole figure, supra and .e., scheduling frame may be a trigger frame including the AID of each STA identified or scheduled for the respective scheduled opportunity. In some instances, the trigger frame may be an MU-RTS trigger frame including one or more Per User Info fields indicating allowed durations of P2P transmissions from one or more respective STAs during the corresponding scheduled opportunity. In some other instances, the trigger frame may be a BSRP trigger frame including one or more Per User Info fields indicating the allowed durations of P2P transmissions from one or more respective STAs during the corresponding scheduled opportunity. In some other instances, each Per User Info field carried in the MU-RTS trigger frame or the BSRP trigger frame may indicate an amount of time that the respective STA is to delay accessing the wireless channel during the corresponding scheduled opportunity) Para [0163].
Regarding Claims 3 and 15, Cherian teaches wherein the trigger frame comprises a trigger type subfield value corresponding to a buffer status report poll (BSRP) (i.e., scheduling frame S1 over the wireless channel. In some instances, the first scheduling frame S1 may be a trigger frame such as an MU-RTS trigger frame, a BSRP trigger frame, or a PS-Poll frame. In other instances, the first scheduling frame S1 may be a CTS frame or a CTS-to-self frame. In the example of FIG. 19, the first scheduling frame S1 identifies STA1 for a first scheduled opportunity, and may schedule STA1 for P2P transmissions over the wireless channel during the first scheduled opportunity of the TXOP obtained by the AP) Para [0145].
Regarding Claims 4 and 16, Cherian teaches wherein the electronic device comprises an access point (i.e., AP may advertise the restricted TWT session using a TWT Element carried in beacon frames or other management frames (such as probe response frames, association response frames, and reassociation response frames). The TWT Element may indicate the existence of the restricted TWT session, may indicate that the restricted TWT session is associated with P2P communications or traffic, and may indicate one or more parameters of the restricted TWT session) Para [0137].
Regarding Claim 5 and 17, Cherian teaches wherein the standard comprises Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 ax or a subsequent IEEE 802.11 standard (i.e., The wireless communication device 500 is capable of transmitting (or outputting for transmission) and receiving wireless communications (for example, in the form of wireless packets). For example, the wireless communication device 500 can be configured to transmit and receive packets in the form of physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data units (PPDUs) and medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard, such as that defined by the IEEE 802.11-2016 specification or amendments thereof including, but not limited to, 802.11ah, 802.11ad, 802.11ay, 802.11ax, 802.11az, 802.11ba, and 802.11be) Para [0067].
Regarding Claims 6 and 18, Cherian teaches wherein the interface circuit is configured to provide a beacon advertising support for the modified response frame (i.e., wake up from a power-save (PS) mode or sleep state to listen for beacon frames and other management frames transmitted from the AP. Also prior to time t.sub.0, the may AP contend for channel access and obtain a TXOP on the wireless channel. The AP becomes the owner of the TXOP on the wireless channel for a TXOP duration) Para [0139].
Regarding Claim 7, Cherian teaches wherein the interface circuit is configured to: receive an association request associated with the second electronic device, wherein the association request comprises an indication of support by the second electronic device for the modified response frame and a request for a parameter associated with the modified response frame (i.e., a resource allocation subfield that indicates resource allocations for the identified STAs 104. HE-SIG-A 316 may be decoded by each HE-compatible STA 104 served by the AP 102. For MU transmissions, HE-SIG-A 316 further includes information usable by each identified STA 104 to decode an associated HE-SIG-B 318. For example, HE-SIG-A 316 may indicate the frame format, including locations and lengths of HE-SIG-Bs 318, available channel bandwidths and modulation and coding schemes (MCSs) Para [0055];
and provide an association response addressed to the second electronic device, wherein the association response comprises an indication of support by the electronic device for the modified response frame and the parameter associated with the modified response frame (i.e., scheduling frames on the wireless channel during the TXOP. Each scheduling frame may be configured to schedule a respective STA identified by the protection frame for P2P transmissions on the wireless channel during a respective scheduled opportunity within the TXOP. Each scheduling frame may also indicate that receiving devices other than the respective STA are to set their respective NAVs to a duration of the respective scheduled opportunity. In some instances, each scheduling frame may be a trigger frame including a Per User Info field indicating a transmission schedule of the respective STA. In some aspects, the Per User Info field may also indicate an allowed duration of P2P transmissions to or from the respective STA. In some implementations, the AP may receive a frame from one or more of the identified STAs based on a respective scheduling frame, and may schedule transmission of a next scheduling frame in response to determining that the NAV duration included in the received frame is less than the NAV duration indicated by the respective scheduling frame) Para [0040].
Regarding Claims 8 and 20, Cherian teaches wherein the parameter indicates: a minimum response time and a maximum response time for the modified response frame; or a data item to include in the modified response frame (i.e., UL MU transmissions, an AP 102 can transmit a trigger frame to initiate and synchronize an UL MU-OFDMA or UL MU-MIMO transmission from multiple STAs 104 to the AP 102. Such trigger frames may thus enable multiple STAs 104 to send UL traffic to the AP 102 concurrently in time. A trigger frame may address one or more STAs 104 through respective association identifiers (AIDs), and may assign each AID (and thus each STA 104) one or more RUs that can be used to send UL traffic to the AP 102) Para [0066].
Regarding Claim 9, Cherian teaches wherein the modified response frame comprises a modified payload that is different from a payload specified by an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 standard for the trigger frame standard (i.e., The wireless communication device 500 is capable of transmitting (or outputting for transmission) and receiving wireless communications (for example, in the form of wireless packets). For example, the wireless communication device 500 can be configured to transmit and receive packets in the form of physical layer convergence protocol (PLCP) protocol data units (PPDUs) and medium access control (MAC) protocol data units (MPDUs) conforming to an IEEE 802.11 standard, such as that defined by the IEEE 802.11-2016 specification or amendments thereof including, but not limited to, 802.11ah, 802.11ad, 802.11ay, 802.11ax, 802.11az, 802.11ba, and 802.11be) Para [0067].
Regarding Claims 10, 12 and 19, Cherian teaches wherein the modified response frame selectively comprises a variable amount of padding (i.e., the MAC header 414 may include a number of fields containing information that defines or indicates characteristics or attributes of data encapsulated within the frame body 416. The MAC header 414 also includes a number of fields indicating addresses for the data encapsulated within the frame body 416. For example, the MAC header 414 may include a combination of a source address, a transmitter address, a receiver address, or a destination address. The MAC header 414 may include a frame control field containing control information. The frame control field specifies the frame type, for example, a data frame, a control frame, or a management frame. The MAC header 414 may further include a duration field indicating a duration extending from the end of the PPDU until the end of an acknowledgment (ACK) of the last PPDU to be transmitted by the wireless communication device (for example, a block ACK (BA) in the case of an A-MPDU). The use of the duration field serves to reserve the wireless medium for the indicated duration, thus establishing the NAV. Each MPDU 410 may also include a frame check sequence) Para [0063].
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cherian et al., (US Patent Publicatioin No. 20220078844 A1), “SCHEDULING WIRELESS STATIONS WITHIN A TARGET WAKE TIME SERVICE PERIOD” (March 10, 2022).
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE D MIZRAHI whose telephone number is 571- 272-4079. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-3:30 PM (7:30 - 4:30 p.m.).
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/DIANE D MIZRAHI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Diane.Mizrahi@USPTO.gov