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
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on November 14, 2025 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed November 25, 2025 has been accepted and entered. Accordingly, claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, 11, 15-16 and 18 are amended, claims 3, 5-7, 10, 12-14, 17 and 19-20 are cancelled and new claims 21-26 are added.
Claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, 11, 15-16, 18 and 21-26 are pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant provides feature A in the amended claim 1 such as “wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request, ANQP-element structure, the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination” (Response filed November 25, 2025, Page 7) , and argues that “P802.11 fails to disclose Feature A of the amended claim 1” (Response filed November 25, 2025, Page 7).
P802.11bc teaches that the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element comprises the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field (P802.11bc [Figure 9-bc20]) and the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP element comprises Time to Termination (P802.11bc [Figure 9-bc12 and Figure 9-bc12]).
Wang teaches that “If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time” (Wang [Para. 0131]), “eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services” (Wang [Para. 0171]), “an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310” (Wang [Para. 0172]), “each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322” (Wang [Para. 0175]) and “The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service” (Wang [Para. 0178]). According to Wang, an ANQP request may include requested time to termination.
P802.11bc and Wang in combination teach that an ANQP request can indicate requested time to termination in the enhanced broadcast services request tuples. It is reasonable to combine Wang and P802.11bc since it allows STA without association to request eBCS service and indicate requested time to termination in the request.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 4, 8-9, 11, 15-16, 18 and 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US20230100162A1, hereinafter Wang) in view of P802.11bc (P802.11bcM/D1.0, hereinafter P802.11bc).
For claim 1, Wang teaches a wireless communication method ([Para. 0003], methods for broadcasting in a wireless local area network (WLAN)), comprising: sending, by a Station (STA), a dynamic Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) request to an Access Point (AP) ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The AP may respond with an ANQP/GAS Broadcast Service Response frame indicating that the broadcast service will be continued), wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises a requested time to termination ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time [Examiner’s Note: The certain period is the requested time to termination]. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service), and the requested time to termination is a time when the STA requests for terminating an Enhanced Broadcast Service (eBCS) ([Para. 0131], the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service).
Although teaching ANQP request comprising requested time to termination, Wang does not explicitly disclose and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure, the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination.
P802.11bc teaches and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure ([Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20), the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples ([Page 33, lines 18 and 20], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 including the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field), and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination ([Page 29, lines 12-14], The Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element provides a list of enhanced broadcast services that are available from the STA transmitting this element. The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element is defined in Figure 9-bc12. [Page 30, lines 12-13], The Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field contains Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14. [Page 32, lines 3-4], The Time to Termination subfield indicates the number of TBTTs until the content identified by the content ID contained in the Content ID subfield is terminated. [Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 [Examiner’s Note: The Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element includes the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field. The Time to Termination subfield in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element can be included in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element]. [Examiner’s Note: Wang teaches ANQP request when association is not required and inclusion of the requested duration in the ANQP request. P802.11bc teaches the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field in Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element including Requested Time to Termination. It is obvious to include the Requested Time to Termination in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in ANQP request element for unassociated STA]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wang, so that Requested Time to Termination is included in Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the ANQP request element, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
For claim 2, Wang and P802.11bc teach the method of claim 1. The references further teach wherein the eBCS is an eBCS which needs registration and does not need association (Wang [Para. 0094], an eBCS AP may provide broadcasting services to STAs that are either associated with it or unassociated with the AP. [Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it may register for broadcast services. [Para. 0132], The STA may indicate that it registers for broadcast service for a certain period of time. The AP may send a eBCS Info frame).
Although teach eBCS service that needs registration and does not need association, Wang do not explicitly disclose and the dynamic ANQP request is configured to request an extension of the eBCS.
P802.11bc teaches and the dynamic ANQP request is configured to request an extension of the eBCS ([Page 43, lines 4-6], Clause 9.6.7.102 eBCS Termination Notice frame format. The eBCS Termination Notice frame is transmitted by a STA to announce the termination of the eBCSs transmitted by the STA. [Page 44, lines 24-26], The Request Method subfield indicates the request method to request an extension of the eBCS identified by the content ID contained in the Content ID subfield. The encoding of the Request Method subfield is defined in Table 9-bc10 (Request Method subfield encoding) : When Negotiation Method subfield value 1 indicates Request through ANQP/GAS eBCS Request frames and eBCS request by STAs that are not associated with the broadcaster [Examiner’s Note: The Content ID subfield and the Request Method subfield are in the Termination Notice frame]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wang, so that ANQP request includes extension of eBCAS for STA that is not associated, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
For claim 4, Wang and P802.11bc teach the method of claim 1. The references further teach wherein the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise an enhanced broadcast services request control field (P802.11bc [Page 33, lines 18 and 20], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 including the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field. P802.11bc [Page 29, lines 11 and 13-14], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element is defined in Figure 9-bc12. P802.11bc [Page 30 lines 12-14 and 19-20], The Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field contains Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14 [Examiner’s Note: The Control field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element (see Figure 9-bc14) can be included in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element as the enhanced broadcast services request control field]), and the enhanced broadcast services request control field comprises a requested time to termination present (P802.11bc [Page 30 lines 12-14 and 19-20], Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14 includes Control and Time to Termination fields. The Control field defines which of the optional fields are present in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field and includes Time to Termination Present field (see Figure 9-bc15)), wherein the requested time to termination present is configured to indicate whether the dynamic ANQP request comprises the requested time to termination (P802.11bc [Page 31, lines 8-10], The Time to Termination Present subfield is set to 1 by a STA to indicate that the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field contains a Time to Termination field. This subfield is set to 0 to indicate that there is no Time to Termination field).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wang, so that ANQP request includes Time to Termination Present field to indicate whether Time to Termination is present in the request, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
For claim 8, Wang teaches a Station (STA) ([Para. 0039] and [FIG. 1B], WTRU) comprising a processor and a memory ([Para. 0044], the processor 118 may access information from, and store data in, any type of suitable memory, such as the non-removable memory 130 and/or the removable memory 132), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program ([Para. 0208], the methods described herein may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium), and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to ([Para. 0208], the methods described herein may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium for execution by a computer or processor): send a dynamic Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) request to an Access Point (AP) ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The AP may respond with an ANQP/GAS Broadcast Service Response frame indicating that the broadcast service will be continued), wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises a requested time to termination ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time [Examiner’s Note: The certain period is the requested time to termination]. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service), and the requested time to termination is a time when the STA requests for terminating an Enhanced Broadcast Service (eBCS) ([Para. 0131], the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service).
Although teaching ANQP request comprising requested time to termination, Wang does not explicitly disclose and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure, the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination.
P802.11bc teaches and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure ([Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20), the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples ([Page 33, lines 18 and 20], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 including the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination ([Page 29, lines 12-14], The Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element provides a list of enhanced broadcast services that are available from the STA transmitting this element. The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element is defined in Figure 9-bc12. [Page 30, lines 12-13], The Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field contains Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14. [Page 32, lines 3-4], The Time to Termination subfield indicates the number of TBTTs until the content identified by the content ID contained in the Content ID subfield is terminated. [Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 [Examiner’s Note: The Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element includes the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field. The Time to Termination subfield in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element can be included in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element]. [Examiner’s Note: Wang teaches ANQP request when association is not required and inclusion of the requested duration in the ANQP request. P802.11bc teaches the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field in Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element including Requested Time to Termination. It is obvious to include the Requested Time to Termination in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in ANQP request element for unassociated STA]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Wang, so that Requested Time to Termination is included in Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the ANQP request element, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
Claims 9 and 11 are apparatus claims and they do not teach or further define over the
limitations recited in claims 2 and 4. Therefore, claims 9 and 11 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claims 2 and 4.
For claim 15, Wang teaches an Access Point (AP) comprising a processor and a memory ([Para. 0208], the methods described herein may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium for execution by a computer or processor), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to ([Para. 0208], the methods described herein may be implemented in a computer program, software, or firmware incorporated in a computer-readable medium for execution by a computer or processor): receive a dynamic Access Network Query Protocol (ANQP) request ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The AP may respond with an ANQP/GAS Broadcast Service Response frame indicating that the broadcast service will be continued), wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises a requested time to termination ([Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time [Examiner’s Note: The certain period is the requested time to termination]. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service), and the requested time to termination is a time when a Station (STA) requests for terminating an Enhanced Broadcast Service (eBCS) ([Para. 0131], the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time. [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322. [Para. 0178], The Requested Duration subfield 1322 may be used to indicate the requested duration of the requested Broadcast service).
Although teaching ANQP request comprising requested time to termination, Wang does not explicitly disclose and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure, the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination.
P802.11bc teaches and wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises an enhanced broadcast request ANOP-element structure ([Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20), the enhanced broadcast request ANQP-element structure comprises enhanced broadcast services request tuples ([Page 33, lines 18 and 20], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 including the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field, and the enhanced broadcast services request tuples comprise the requested time to termination ([Page 29, lines 12-14], The Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element provides a list of enhanced broadcast services that are available from the STA transmitting this element. The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element is defined in Figure 9-bc12. [Page 30, lines 12-13], The Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field contains Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14. [Page 32, lines 3-4], The Time to Termination subfield indicates the number of TBTTs until the content identified by the content ID contained in the Content ID subfield is terminated. [Page 33, lines 18], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element is defined in Figure 9-bc20 [Examiner’s Note: The Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element includes the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field. The Time to Termination subfield in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element can be included in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element]. [Examiner’s Note: Wang teaches ANQP request when association is not required and inclusion of the requested duration in the ANQP request. P802.11bc teaches the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field in Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element including Requested Time to Termination. It is obvious to include the Requested Time to Termination in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field in ANQP request element for unassociated STA]).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Wang, so that Requested Time to Termination is included in Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field in the ANQP request element, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
Claims 16 and 18 are apparatus claims and they do not teach or further define over the
limitations recited in claims 2 and 4. Therefore, claims 16 and 18 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claims 2 and 4.
For claim 21, Wang and P802.11bc teach the method of claim 1. The references further teach wherein the dynamic ANQP request comprises a broadcast action field (P802.11bc [Page 33, lines 18, 20 and 29], The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element defined in Figure 9-bc20 includes the enhanced broadcast services request tuples. The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services Request Tuples field defined in Figure 9-be21 includes Broadcast Action field), and a reserved field of the broadcast action field carries a requested time to termination present (P802.11bc [Page 34, lines 3-4], The Broadcast Action field values are defined in Table 9-bc5 including Reserved field of 2 bits. P802.11bc [Page 29, lines 11 and 13-15], 9.4.5.100 Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element. The format of the Enhanced Broadcast Services ANQP-element is defined in Figure 9-bc12. P802.11bc [Page 30 lines 12-14 and 19-20], The Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuples field contains Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple fields as shown in Figure 9-bc14 including Control and Time to Termination fields. The Control field defines which of the optional fields are present in the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field and is defined in Figure 9-bc15a including Time to Termination Present field. P802.11bc [Page 31, lines 8-10], The Time to Termination Present subfield is set to 1 by a STA to indicate that the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field contains a Time to Termination field. This subfield is set to 0 to indicate that there is no Time to Termination field [Examiner’s Note: Since the Time to Termination Present takes 1 bit, the Reserved field of 1-2 bits in Broadcast Action field of Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element provides the needed bit for The Time to Termination Present when Requested Time to Termination is included in Enhanced Broadcast Request ANQP element]). wherein the requested time to termination present is configured to indicate whether the dynamic ANQP request comprises the requested time to termination (P802.11bc [Page 31, lines 8-10], The Time to Termination Present subfield is set to 1 by a STA to indicate that the Enhanced Broadcast Services Tuple field contains a Time to Termination field. This subfield is set to 0 to indicate that there is no Time to Termination field).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Wang, so that ANQP request uses the reserved bits in the Broadcast Action for the Time to Termination Present, as taught by P802.11bc. The modification would have provided enhanced mechanism to enable stations to transmit and receive broadcast data both in an infrastructure BSS where there is an association between the transmitter and the receiver(s) and in cases where there is no association between transmitter(s) and receiver(s) (P802.11bc [Page 12, lines 15-17]).
For claim 22, Wang and P802.11bc teach the method of claim 1. The references further teach wherein the dynamic ANQP request is used for rapid discovery of the eBCS (Wang [Para. 0197], An unassociated STA may discover a desired broadcast service either after receiving a frame from the AP, such as a EBCS info frames, or through ANQP/GAS frame exchanges from one or more APs. One or more Broadcast Services, which the AP is capable to provide but is currently not providing, which do not require association, may be requested by the STA. The STA may follow a negotiation method, e.g., as indicated by the AP for that eBCS service and may send a frame to the AP, such as a ANQP/GAS Broadcast Service request frame [Examiner’s Note: ANQP request is an alternative to eBCS info frame for service discovery]), and the dynamic ANQP request is sent to the AP before an eBCS info frame (Wang [Para. 0125], An AP may advertise a broadcast service using a Broadcast Service element in its eBCS info frames and may be broadcast with certain periodicities. Wang [Para. 0197], An unassociated STA may discover a desired broadcast service either after receiving a frame from the AP, such as a EBCS info frames, or through ANQP/GAS frame exchanges from one or more APs. One or more Broadcast Services, which the AP is capable to provide but is currently not providing, which do not require association, may be requested by the STA. The STA may follow a negotiation method, e.g., as indicated by the AP for that eBCS service and may send a frame to the AP, such as a ANQP/GAS Broadcast Service request frame [Examiner’s Note: That the STA uses ANQP request for service discovery as an alternative to the eBCS info frames broadcasted periodically indicates that the STA did not receive the eBCS info frame]), to enable the AP to know the requested time to termination without using the eBCS info frame (Wang [Para. 0131], If a broadcast service does not require association, the STA may send an ANQP/generic advertisement service (GAS) Broadcast Service Request frame indicating that it desires broadcast service. The STA may indicate that it desires for broadcast service for a certain period of time. Wang [Para. 0171], eBCS Service Request element may also be included in other frames such as ANQP/GAS eBCS Service Request frames to request one or more eBCS Services. Wang [Para. 0172], an eBCS Service Request element may contain one or more of Broadcast Service fields 1310. Wang [Para. 0175], each of the Broadcast Service fields 1310 contains the information including Requested Duration subfield 1322).
Claims 23 and 25 are apparatus claims and they do not teach or further define over the
limitations recited in claim 21. Therefore, claims 23 and 25 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim 21.
Claims 24 and 26 are apparatus claims and they do not teach or further define over the
limitations recited in claim 22. Therefore, claims 24 and 26 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim 22.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/S.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2417
/REBECCA E SONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2417