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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 9 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim 21 has been added.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-9, 11-17, 19-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cariou et al., US2019/0199682 A1, and further in view of Wang et al., US2017/0070962 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Cariou teaches A communication device (Fig. 10 item 104.3; HE Station 104.3) comprising: a transceiver configured to transmit and receive traffic for an application in an overlapping basic service set preamble detection (OBSS-PD) operation (par. 0045, 0102-103; the HE station having a transmitting transmission 922 including one or more SR parameters and the HE station may receive the transmission 922 and determine whether the transmission 922 is an OBSS transmission or an BSS transmission, and the preamble 302 portion and MAC 304 portion may be transmitted on different RU or bandwidths.).
Cariou fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Wang teaches a processor operably coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to reduce a transmission power of the communication device, to reduce adding interference to an inter-basic service set (inter-BSS) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that the communication device is transmitting over, based on energy detection (ED) and in accordance with a medium access control procedure (par. 0025 and 0038; In the current baseline EDCA procedure, pre-conditions 2) and 3) might only be partially satisfied, i.e., STA3 and STA4 might cause interference to one of STA1 or STA2, and the SR conditions might be: 1) the estimated interference at the OBSS PPDU recipient is less than a value x, which is defined by the SRP; 2) the NAV is not set; and 3) the backoff has counted down to zero. When the OBSS PPDU is first decoded, the SR-STA might not meet all of these conditions. However, if the SR-STA chooses to reduce its TX power, then it might be able to meet the SR conditions.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s teachings with Wang’s teachings in order to have interference mitigation, such as transmit power control (TPC) should be employed during spatial reuse transmission to avoid collision with on-going frame exchange in a dense environment (Wang, par. 0024).
Cariou and Wang failed to teach the following amended claim recited limitations. However, Zhou teaches wherein: the channel access procedure is followed for a duration of time after an end of the inter- BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, and to perform the channel access procedure, the processor is configured to: reduce an ED threshold as a function of a preamble threshold, or reduce the ED threshold as a function of an OBSS-PD threshold (par. 0137; each individual transmitter may selectively set its own ED threshold and may request neighboring transmitters to change their ED thresholds in a coordinated adjustment. For example, an interfering transmitting node may reduce the ED thresholds for itself and for the suffering transmitting node in order that both transmitting nodes can hear each other's transmissions within the ED range.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s in view of Wang’s teachings with Zhou’s teachings in order to result in the best performance of the wireless network in terms of throughput or packet error rate (PER) (Zhou, par. 0002).
Regarding claims 3 and 11, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 9. Cariou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to prevent ED-based sensing of a channel as idle (par. 0039).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 9. Cariou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to delay carrier sensing for a duration of time (par. 0042).
Regarding claims 5 and 13, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 4 and 12. Cariou further teaches wherein to delay carrier sensing, the processor is further configured to: determine a duration of a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0042); compare the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over to a duration of inter-basic service set (inter-BSS) PPDUs that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0107); when the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over is shorter than the duration of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, delay either an ED-based carrier sensing or both an ED-based and preamble detection (PD) based channel sensing until an end of the inter-BSS PPDU (par. 0043); and when the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over is longer than the duration of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, delay the carrier sensing for a fixed amount of time (par. 0043).
Regarding claims 6 and 14, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 1 and 9. Cariou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to: sense a medium as idle based on an ED threshold (par. 0108); and transmit a next inter-BSS PPDU with a fixed reduction of transmit power (par. 0108).
Regarding claims 7, 15 and 19, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 1, 9 and 17. Cariou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to match a duration of time of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over to a duration of time of an overlapping inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0107).
Regarding claims 8, 16 and 20, Cariou and Wang teach all the limitations in claims 7, 15 and 19. Cariou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is further configured to set a duration of time the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over to correspond to an end time of the overlapping inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0042).
Regarding claim 9, Cariou teaches A method for wireless communication performed by a communication device communication device (par. 0098; method 800 may each be performed by an apparatus of a HE station 104 and/or HE access point 102.), the method comprising: transmitting and receiving traffic for an application in an overlapping basic service set preamble detection (OBSS-PD) operation (par. 0045, 0102-103; the HE station having a transmitting transmission 922 including one or more SR parameters and the HE station may receive the transmission 922 and determine whether the transmission 922 is an OBSS transmission or an BSS transmission, and the preamble 302 portion and MAC 304 portion may be transmitted on different RU or bandwidths.).
Cariou fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Wang teaches reducing a transmission power of the communication device, to reduce adding interference to an inter-basic service set (inter-BSS) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that the communication device is transmitting over, based on energy detection (ED) and in accordance with a medium access control procedure (par. 0025 and 0038; In the current baseline EDCA procedure, pre-conditions 2) and 3) might only be partially satisfied, i.e., STA3 and STA4 might cause interference to one of STA1 or STA2, and the SR conditions might be: 1) the estimated interference at the OBSS PPDU recipient is less than a value x, which is defined by the SRP; 2) the NAV is not set; and 3) the backoff has counted down to zero. When the OBSS PPDU is first decoded, the SR-STA might not meet all of these conditions. However, if the SR-STA chooses to reduce its TX power, then it might be able to meet the SR conditions.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s teachings with Wang’s teachings in order to have interference mitigation, such as transmit power control (TPC) should be employed during spatial reuse transmission to avoid collision with on-going frame exchange in a dense environment (Wang, par. 0024).
Cariou and Wang failed to teach the following amended claim recited limitations. However, Zhou teaches following the medium access control procedure for a duration of time after an end of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over; and reducing an ED threshold as a function of a preamble threshold; or reducing the ED threshold as a function of an OBSS-PD threshold (par. 0137; each individual transmitter may selectively set its own ED threshold and may request neighboring transmitters to change their ED thresholds in a coordinated adjustment. For example, an interfering transmitting node may reduce the ED thresholds for itself and for the suffering transmitting node in order that both transmitting nodes can hear each other's transmissions within the ED range.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s in view of Wang’s teachings with Zhou’s teachings in order to result in the best performance of the wireless network in terms of throughput or packet error rate (PER) (Zhou, par. 0002).
Regarding claim 17, Cariou teaches An access point (AP) (Fig. 1 item 102; HE access point 102) comprising: a processor (par. 0114; a hardware processor 1102 (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU)) configured to generate traffic for an application in an overlapping basic service set preamble detection (OBSS-PD) operation (par. 0091; operation 704 with is the PPDU is an OBSS PPDU, and is a receive power of the PPDU below an overlapping power detect level. For example, HE station 104.2 may determine whether TF 412 is an OBSS PPDU, e.g., by a color 324 or MAC address 320 of the TF 412.); and a transceiver configured to: transmit the traffic for the application in the OBSS-PD operation (par. 0045, 0102-103; the HE station having a transmitting transmission 922 including one or more SR parameters and the HE station may receive the transmission 922 and determine whether the transmission 922 is an OBSS transmission or an BSS transmission, and the preamble 302 portion and MAC 304 portion may be transmitted on different RU or bandwidths.); and receive an inter-basic service set (inter-BSS) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) from a communication device (par. 0045, 0102-103; the HE station having a transmitting transmission 922 including one or more SR parameters and the HE station may receive the transmission 922 and determine whether the transmission 922 is an OBSS transmission or an BSS transmission, and the preamble 302 portion and MAC 304 portion may be transmitted on different RU or bandwidths.).
Cariou fails to teach the following recited limitation. However, Wang teaches the inter-BSS PPDU having a reduced transmission power to reduce interference to the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, based on energy detection (ED) and in accordance with a medium access control procedure (par. 0025 and 0038; In the current baseline EDCA procedure, pre-conditions 2) and 3) might only be partially satisfied, i.e., STA3 and STA4 might cause interference to one of STA1 or STA2, and the SR conditions might be: 1) the estimated interference at the OBSS PPDU recipient is less than a value x, which is defined by the SRP; 2) the NAV is not set; and 3) the backoff has counted down to zero. When the OBSS PPDU is first decoded, the SR-STA might not meet all of these conditions. However, if the SR-STA chooses to reduce its TX power, then it might be able to meet the SR conditions.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s teachings with Wang’s teachings in order to have interference mitigation, such as transmit power control (TPC) should be employed during spatial reuse transmission to avoid collision with on-going frame exchange in a dense environment (Wang, par. 0024).
Cariou and Wang failed to teach the following amended claim recited limitations. However, Zhou teaches wherein the medium access control procedure is followed for a duration of time after an end of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, and to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to: reduce an ED threshold as a function of a preamble threshold, or reduce the ED threshold as a function of an OBSS-PD threshold (par. 0137; each individual transmitter may selectively set its own ED threshold and may request neighboring transmitters to change their ED thresholds in a coordinated adjustment. For example, an interfering transmitting node may reduce the ED thresholds for itself and for the suffering transmitting node in order that both transmitting nodes can hear each other's transmissions within the ED range.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s in view of Wang’s teachings with Zhou’s teachings in order to result in the best performance of the wireless network in terms of throughput or packet error rate (PER) (Zhou, par. 0002).
Regarding claim 21, Cariou, Wang and Zhou teach all the limitations in claim 17. Zhou further teaches wherein to perform the medium access control procedure, the processor is configured to: delay carrier sensing for a duration of time (par. 0012); determine a duration of a physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0035); compare the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over to a duration of inter-basic service set (inter-BSS) PPDUs that the communication device is transmitting over (par. 0055); when the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over is shorter than the duration of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, delay either an ED-based carrier sensing or both an ED-based and preamble detection (PD) based channel sensing until an end of the inter-BSS PPDU (par. 0128); and when the duration of the PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over is longer than the duration of the inter-BSS PPDU that the communication device is transmitting over, delay the carrier sensing for a fixed amount of time (par. 0128). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Cariou’s in view of Wang’s teachings with Zhou’s teachings in order to result in the best performance of the wireless network in terms of throughput or packet error rate (PER) (Zhou, par. 0002).
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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/AYODEJI O AYOTUNDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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