DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is in response to the submission filed 2025-12-23 (herein referred to as the Reply) where claim(s) 1, 3, 6-9, 11, 14-17, 19, 22, 25-26, 28, 30-41 are pending for consideration.
35 USC §103 - Claim Rejections
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU_162 (US20220322162) in view of LU_965 (US20250119965)
Claim(s) 1, 26
WU_162 teaches
a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the non-AP device to: <para. 0024, 0067; Claim 15>.
transmit, to a first AP device, a request message to transition the non-AP device from the first AP device to a second AP device in accordance with roaming of the non-AP device, Upon determining a target AP to roam to, STA MLD sends a request to an access point. In one embodiment, STA MLD sends a link disconnection request message and/or sends a disassociation request message to the AP MLD1 < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0041-0066>.
wherein the request message comprises a first set of parameters for a link addition operation associated with the second AP device, and In the first embodiment, STA MLD sends a link exchange request message to the target AP, wherein the link exchange request message includes a link identifier, a corresponding logical entity address, and a primary link identifier to be used for the new connection in the roaming process. < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0055-0066>.
receive, in response to the request message, a response message comprising a first set of identifiers associated with the link addition operation. After reception of the link exchange request message, if the target AP MLD accepts the link exchange request, it sends a link exchange response message to the STA. The link exchange response message includes the link identifier, the corresponding logical entity addresses and the primary link identifier. < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0055-0066>.
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the first set of parameters for the link addition operation comprises one or more profiles for each of one or more wireless stations; and
However in a similar endeavor, LU_965 teaches
wherein the first set of parameters for the link addition operation comprises one or more profiles for each of one or more wireless stations; and Reconfiguration sent from non-AP MLD includes multi-link element including a new link ID (adding a link) and per-STA profile field. <FIG(s). 2, 3, 4; para. 0058, 0067-0069, 0076, 0127-0133, 0155, 0256>.
Additionally LU_965 also teaches
wherein the request message comprises a first set of parameters for a link addition operation associated with the second AP device, and Reconfiguration sent from non-AP MLD includes multi-link element including parameters for establishing additional links to another AP MLD <FIG(s). 2, 3, 4; para. 0058, 0067-0069, 0076, 0127-0133, 0155, 0256>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by LU_965. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to solve the problem of how to coordinate multi-link common parameters and link specific parameters between the established link and the reconfiguration link <para. 0071>.
Claim(s) 3, 19, 31, 40
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the one or more profiles are per-station profiles.
However in a similar endeavor, LU_965 teaches
wherein the one or more profiles are per-station profiles. Profiles are per-STA. <FIG(s). 2, 3, 4; para. 0127-0133, 0155, 0256>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by LU_965. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to solve the problem of how to coordinate multi-link common parameters and link specific parameters between the established link and the reconfiguration link <para. 0071>.
Claim(s) 7, 33, 22, 30
WU_162 teaches
wherein the response message is a first response message, and the processing system is further configured to cause the non-AP device to:
receive a second response message comprising a second set of identifiers associated with a link deletion operation. Sending, by the AP MLD1, a link disconnection response message to the STA MLD, wherein the link disconnection response message includes the correspondence between TIDs and links < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0047-0050>.
Claim(s) 15, 38
WU_162 teaches
wherein each identifier of the first set of identifiers corresponds to an AP multi-link device (MLD), a non-MLD AP, or both. After reception of the link exchange request message, if the target AP MLD accepts the link exchange request, it sends a link exchange response message to the STA. The link exchange response message includes the link identifier, the corresponding logical entity addresses and the primary link identifier corresponding to the target AP MLD. < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0055-0066>.
Claim(s) 17, 28
WU_162 teaches
a processing system that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry that stores code, the processing system configured to cause the first AP device to: <para. 0024, 0067; Claim 15>.
receive a request message to transition a non-AP device from the first AP device to a second AP device in accordance with roaming of the non-AP device Upon determining a target AP to roam to, STA MLD sends a request to an access point. In an embodiment, the STA MLD sends a link exchange request message to the target AP (e.g., AP MLD2).
wherein the request message comprises a first set of parameters for a link addition operation associated with the second AP device, and In the first embodiment, STA MLD sends a link exchange request message to the target AP, wherein the link exchange request message includes a link identifier, a corresponding logical entity address, and a primary link identifier to be used for the new connection in the roaming process. <FIG(s). 2; para. 0055-0066>.
transmit, in response to the request message, a response message comprising a first set of identifiers associated with the link addition operation. After reception of the link exchange request message, if the target AP MLD accepts the link exchange request, it sends a link exchange response message to the STA. The link exchange response message includes the link identifier, the corresponding logical entity address and the primary link identifier. < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0055-0066>.
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the first set of parameters for the link addition operation comprises one or more profiles for each of one or more wireless stations; and
However in a similar endeavor, LU_965 teaches
wherein the first set of parameters for the link addition operation comprises one or more profiles for each of one or more wireless stations; and Reconfiguration sent from non-AP MLD includes multi-link element including a new link ID (adding a link) and per-STA profile field. <FIG(s). 2, 3, 4; para. 0058, 0067-0069, 0076, 0127-0133, 0155, 0256>.
Additionally LU_965 also teaches
wherein the request message comprises a first set of parameters for a link addition operation associated with the second AP device, and Reconfiguration sent from non-AP MLD includes multi-link element including parameters for establishing additional links to another AP MLD <FIG(s). 2, 3, 4; para. 0058, 0067-0069, 0076, 0127-0133, 0155, 0256>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by LU_965. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to solve the problem of how to coordinate multi-link common parameters and link specific parameters between the established link and the reconfiguration link <para. 0071>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU_162 (US20220322162) in view of LU_965 (US20250119965), and further view of CHU_509 (US20250254509)
Claim(s) 6, 32
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the response message comprises a Media Access Control address of the second AP device.
However in a similar endeavor, CHU_509 teaches
wherein the response message comprises a Media Access Control address of the second AP device. The roaming preparing request 828 and Response 832 (Link Reconfiguration Request and Link Reconfiguration Response) carry the target AP MLD MAC address as the target AP MLD identifier in MLD Address field in Reconfiguration Multi-Link element and an MLD Address field in a Basic Multi-Link Element <FIG(s). 8; para. 0061>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 and LU_965 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by CHU_509. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide seamless roaming in a seamless mobile domain (SMD) (also known as roaming AP (access point) MLD (multi-link device)) by an AP MLD providing information for one or more candidate target AP MLDs to which a non-AP MLD is able to roam. <para. 0019>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU_162 (US20220322162) in view of LU_965 (US20250119965), and further view of LUO_746 (WO2024243746)
Claim(s) 8, 34
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the response message comprises
the first set of identifiers and
a second set of identifiers associated with a link deletion operation.
However in a similar endeavor, LUO_746 teaches
wherein the response message comprises the first set of identifiers and a second set of identifiers associated with a link deletion operation. N link information fields include operation update type field that indicates whether the corresponding link should be added or deleted in the MLD roaming procedure. <para. 0114-0115>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 and LU_965 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by LUO_746. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve roaming performance of Non-AP MLD between different AP MLDs <para. 0003>.
Claim(s) 9, 35
WU_162 teaches
wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the non-AP device to:
roam, from the first AP device to the second AP device, without performing a reassociation procedure with the second AP device based at least in part on the response message. STA MLD that roams from AP1 to AP2; WU_162 is silent with regard to reassociation procedures with the second AP < FIG(s). 2, 3; para. 0047-0050>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU_162 (US20220322162) in view of LU_965 (US20250119965), and further view of HAHN_765 (US20230224765)
Claim(s) 11, 36
WU_162 teaches an identifier that is particularly a multi-link device (MLD) AP identifier. <Tables 3-6; para. 0014, 0058-0066>
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the request message comprises a
However in a similar endeavor, HAHN_765 teaches
wherein the request message comprises a multi-link device (MLD) AP identifier of the second AP device. receiving, from the serving base station, a first connection reconfiguration message including configuration information of a target base station. The configuration information of the target base station may include an identifier of the target base station. <FIG(s). 8A; para. 0012-0013, 0018-0019, 0026; Claim(s) 5>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 and LU_965 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by HAHN_765. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to provide a method and an apparatus for group handover in sidelink groupcast communication. <para. 0007>.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WU_162 (US20220322162) in view of LU_965 (US20250119965), and further view of FISCHER_368 (US20080310368)
Claim(s) 16, 39, 25, 41
WU_162 does not explicitly teach
wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the non-AP device to:
facilitate a transfer of context information for the non-AP device from the first AP device to the second AP device in accordance with the roaming,
wherein the context information for the non-AP device comprises
one or more encryption keys associated with the non-AP device,
one or more pseudorandom numbers associated with the non-AP device,
one or more sequence numbers associated with the non-AP device,
one or more block acknowledgments associated with the non-AP device, or
any combination thereof.
However in a similar endeavor, FISCHER_368 teaches
wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the non-AP device to:
facilitate a transfer of context information for the non-AP device from the first AP device to the second AP device in accordance with the roaming, wherein the context information for the non-AP device comprises one or more sequence numbers associated with the non-AP device, During handover, source base station and target base station communicate a sequence number associated with downlink terminals. <FIG(s). 13, 14; para. 0081, 0087-0090, 0095-0096, 0118-0122, 0124, 0131>.
Before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art to have modified the system/techniques disclosed by WU_162 and LU_965 with the embodiment(s) disclosed by FISCHER_368. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to maintain an order of data units during a handover procedure in a wireless communication system. <para. 0079>.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) is/are indicated as having allowable subject matter and objected to.
Claim(s) 14, 37
The claim(s) is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Relevant Cited References
CARIOU - US20230139206 teaches “Reassociation Request frame and receive a Reassociation Response frame may identify the new link in a per-STA profile. The per-STA profile may include every new link that is requested to be added. The per-STA profile may comprise a per-STA profile subelement may be in a link info field of a basic multi-link element that may be included in the frame body of the Reassociation Request frame and a Reassociation Response frame.”
GUPTA - US20250081273 teaches “the STA MLD requesting the addition of a new link specifies the new link's STA profile in the Per-STA Profile subelement within the Reconfiguration Multi-link (ML) element.”
SHAFIN - US20250063618 teaches “Profile sub-elements can be set to the Link ID of the link that is to be deleted, and the Link ID subfield of the other Per-STA Profile sub-element can be set to the Link ID of the link that is to be added.”
Response to Arguments
The following arguments in the Reply have been fully considered but they are not persuasive:
Prior Art:
The Reply argues that Wu is deficient in teaching “a non-AP that transmits, to a first AP device, a request message to transition the non-AP device from the first AP device to a second AP device in accordance with roaming of the non-AP device” and alleges that Wu only discloses a link disconnection message citing para. 0044. While para. 0044 teaches link disconnection, Wu also teaches adding a link for a target AP MLD at para. 0055-0066 as cited in the previous action for the second set of rejections to claims 1, 26.
Additionally, the Reply alleges that dependent claim 3 was dismissed without addressing their actual subject matter. The examiner re-iterates what was cited in the previous action – independent claim 1 include alternative embodiments – the claims required the request message includes the first parameters or the second parameters but not both. Furthermore claim 3’s scope only further narrowed the second parameters. Consequently claim 1 was anticipated using the first parameters embodiment making claim 3’s subject matter moot, as it only corresponded to an alternative embodiment (second parameters) that was unnecessary to anticipate the claims.
The Reply’s arguments with respect to the other matters have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the rejection(s), which was necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments, being used in the current rejection.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE TACDIRAN whose telephone number is 571-272-1717. The examiner can normally be reached on M-TH, 10-5PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on 571-270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
/ANDRE TACDIRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415