DETAILED ACTION
Allowable Subject Matter
1a. Claims 17-20 are allowed.
1b. Claims 6-8, 14-16 and 21-22 are objected to as dependent upon rejected claims, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Applicant’s Remarks
1c. Applicant’s arguments and remarks, filed on 1/21/2026 (hereinafter Remarks), are acknowledged, and have been fully considered.
1d. Regarding Applicant’s remark, the Examiner summarizes the Examiner’s comments correspond to Applicant’ remarks in the following tables for ease of discussion. The third column is the page number of Remarks where the Applicant’s remarks are taken from. All Applicant’ remarks and Examiner’s comments are labeled with numbers in the first column.
Row
Claim
Page
Applicant’s Remarks
Examiner’s Responses
R.1
1
8
a method comprising ……
“pausing the wake-up frames from the first node and listening to the transmission channel after a predetermined number of wake-up frames are transmitted from the first node”
Applicant’s Fig 3:
PNG
media_image1.png
200
400
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Greyscale
R.2
1
9-10
Thus, Yang describes the TD as deferring or rescheduling a WUP after determining that the channel is not idle or is occupied. Yang fails to disclose or suggest that the TD defers or reschedules a WUP after a predetermined number of WUPs are
transmitted by the TD. As a result, Yang in view of Park fails to disclose or suggest a method comprising "transmitting a plurality of wake-up frames
The key elements are in the claim.
Applicant discloses “pausing” without elaborating the cause, the purpose, the environment, … IN THE CLAIM.
Yang discloses when transmitter cannot transmit scheduled sequence (that is, predetermined number) of the wake-up packets, stop transmitting the next wake-up packet:
[0049] …. The programming including instructions to schedule WUPs in a sequence of WUPs for transmission at a nominal interval between beginnings of any two successive WUPs in the sequence of WUPs, and transmit the sequence of WUPs.
[0157] If the transmitting device cannot transmit the next wake-up packet, the transmitting device defers the scheduled transmission time of the next wake-up packet, …
[0012] …..
the second mode of operation is used for operating the WUR receiver of the receiving device when the transmitting device transmits WUR beacons periodically, determining, by the transmitting device, whether to transmit WUR beacons periodically, wherein each of the WUR beacons includes a clock information of the transmitting device, in response to determining not to transmit any WUR beacon, stopping, by the transmitting device, transmission of any pending WUR beacons,
Thus, Yang alone has fully disclosed Applicant’s Claims.
R.3
1
11
FIG. 4 of Yang is reproduced above, showing that the TD 405 receives an acknowledgement 440 from the RD 410. The TD 410 does not receive a wake-up frame from the RD 410. The sequences illustrated in FIGS. 6-9 of Yang also do not show a TD that receives a wake-up frame from a RD. Consequently, Yang fails to disclose or suggest a method comprising "transmitting a plurality of wake-up frames ….. from a first node ….. ; and receiving, at the first node, a wake-up frame from a second node," as recited in claim 1.
Yang and Park do not agree Applicant’s remarks:
Yang discloses:
[0137] The transmitting device also periodically transmits a WUR Beacon during an “On” period of the WURx of the receiving device.
Further, Park discloses:
[0126] (3) AP1 810 and AP2 820 can receive wakeup negotiation frames transmitted from each other and know their wakeup frame priority.
Thus, Yang and Park have fully disclosed Applicant’s Claim.
1e. Thus, the Examiner maintains the same ground of rejections regarding claims 1-5 and 9-13. The newly added claims 21-22 are objected. This office action is made final.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
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 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.
2a. Claims 1-5 and 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 20180279224 A1) in view of Park (US 20140204822 A1).
2b. Summary of the Cited Prior Art
Yang discloses a method for wake up mode switching.
Park discloses a method for transmitting wake up frames.
2c. Claim Analysis
Regarding Claim 1, Yang discloses:
A method, comprising [(see Figs 2-10 and 12A-15B)]:
transmitting a plurality of wake-up frames on a transmission channel from a first node [(see Fig 2, any one of the Access Point 205 or Station 210-218)] having a first priority
[(Yang discloses a network device periodically transmits wake-up frames:
[0122] FIG. 3 illustrates an example IEEE 802.11 communications system 300 with a low-power wake-up radio (LP-WUR). Communications system 300 includes a transmitting device 305 and a receiving device 310. Examples of transmitting device 305 may include an AP attempting to wake up a sleeping STA associated with the AP, a STA attempting to wake up a sleeping AP serving the STA, and a STA operating in a peer-to-peer (P2P) communications mode and attempting to wake up a peer STA that is sleeping.
[0135] FIG. 6 illustrates a diagram 600 of example wake-up operations in the synchronous duty-cycled mode. As shown in FIG. 6, a transmitting device (such as the AP) 605 periodically transmits (broadcasts or multicasts) a beacon packet complying with the WUR signaling format (such as that the signaling bandwidth is 5 MHz or less and that the modulation scheme used is OOK) and containing information of a clock of the transmitting device.
Fig 6, Transmitter TD 605, can be any device in Fig 2; Fig 10, Steps 1005-1021; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)];
pausing the wake-up frames from the first node and listening to the transmission channel after a predetermined number of wake-up frames are transmitted from the first node; and
[(Yang discloses CSMA/CA collision avoidance protocol that pauses the WUR transmission:
[0131] One way to ensure that the WURx of the receiving device can receive the wake-up packet transmitted by the transmitting device is to have the WURx of the receiving device operates in an always-on mode, wherein the WURx of the receiving device is always active and listening for wake-up packets as long as the RCM of the receiving device is sleeping.
[0157] If the transmitting device cannot transmit the next wake-up packet, the transmitting device defers the scheduled transmission time of the next wake-up packet and reschedules the transmission of the next wake-up packet (block 1013). As an example, the transmitting device defers the scheduled transmission time of the next wake-up packet by an integer multiple of the duty-cycle duration and the next wake-up packet is placed in the transmission queue in accordance with the deferred transmission time.
Fig 6, Transmitter TD 605, can be any device in Fig 2; Fig 10, Steps 1005-1021; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)];
receiving, at the first node, a wake-up frame from a second node [(see Fig 2, any one of the Access Point 205 or Station 210-218)] on the transmission channel, wherein the second node has a second priority
[(Yang discloses CSMA/CA collision avoidance protocol that handle multiple transmitter collision among AP and stations:
[0137] The transmitting device also periodically transmits a WUR Beacon during an “On” period of the WURx of the receiving device.
[0130] ……… As shown in FIG. 4, 802.11 RCM 412 is initially placed in a sleep mode (shown as dot-lined block OFF 420) and WURx 414 is active (shown as shaded block ON 422). 802.11 RCM 407 initiates a CSMA/CA based channel contention procedure (shown as shaded block CSMA/CA 424). 802.11 RCM 407 wins the channel contention and transmits the wake-up packet (shown as WUP 426). WURx 414 receives the wake-up packet and wakes up 802.11 RCM 412 with a wake-up interrupt signal 428.
[0130] …………. 802.11 RCM 407 of transmitting device 405 initiates a second CSMA/CA based channel contention procedure (shown as shaded block CSMA/CA 436). 802.11 RCM 407 wins the second channel contention and transmits data to 802.11 RCM 412 (shown as data 438).
Fig 6, Transmitter TD 605, can be any device in Fig 2; Fig 10, Steps 1005-1021; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)].
Yang does not elaborate about priority comparison much.
However, Park discloses:
transmitting a plurality of wake-up frames on a transmission channel from a first node having a first priority
[(Park discloses negotiation for wakeup priority and transmiting wake up frame based on priority:
[0129] ………. The AP2 820, which has received the wakeup negotiation frame and now has a higher priority than the AP1 810 as the RN value (=28) of the AP2 820 has become smaller than that (=255) of the AP1 810, can carry out data transmission while responding to the paging STA 800 by using a wakeup frame when it is time for the paging STA 800 again to transmit a paging frame.
Fig 8; see also Figs 2-5)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Yang’s method for wake up mode switching with Park’s method for transmitting wake up frames with the motivation being to reduce power consumption wasted (Park, Abstract).
Regarding Claim 2, Yang discloses:
listening, by the first node, for frames on the transmission channel, wherein transmitting the plurality of wake-up frames is in response to detecting no frames on the transmission channel
[(Yang discloses clear channel assessment (CCA) before transmitting WUR:
[0156] ………….. When the current time is equal to a scheduled transmission time for a next wake-up packet in the sequence of wake-up packets, the transmitting device performs a check to determine if it is able to transmit the next wake-up packet (block 1011). In other words, the transmitting device performs a clear channel assessment (CCA) or some other equivalent operation to determine if the channel is available for the transmitting device to use to transmit the next wake-up packet.
[0149] …….. Then each wake-up packet of the sequence of wake-up packets is transmitted at a scheduled transmission time of that wake-up packet if the channel is idle
Fig 10, Steps 1011; see also Fig 6; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)].
Regarding Claim 3, Yang discloses:
responsive to the first priority being higher than the second priority, continue transmitting the plurality of wake-up frames from the first node on the transmission channel
[(Yang discloses assigning priority to wake-up packet and transmit higher priority packet:
[0149] Generally speaking, transmitting a wake-up packet within the sequence of wake-up packets may be made opportunistically by the transmitting device assigning a lower access priority to each of the sequence of wake-up packets used for waking up a receiving device operating in the enhanced asynchronous duty-cycled mode. Then each wake-up packet of the sequence of wake-up packets is transmitted at a scheduled transmission time of that wake-up packet if the channel is idle.
Fig 10; see also Fig 6; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)].
Yang does not elaborate about priority comparison.
However, Park discloses:
responsive to the first priority being higher than the second priority, continue transmitting the plurality of wake-up frames from the first node on the transmission channel
[(Park discloses transmitting wake up frame with higher priority:
[0129] ………. The AP2 820, which has received the wakeup negotiation frame and now has a higher priority than the AP1 810 as the RN value (=28) of the AP2 820 has become smaller than that (=255) of the AP1 810, can carry out data transmission while responding to the paging STA 800 by using a wakeup frame when it is time for the paging STA 800 again to transmit a paging frame.
Fig 8; see also Figs 2-5)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Yang’s method for wake up mode switching with Park’s method for transmitting wake up frames with the motivation being to reduce power consumption wasted (Park, Abstract).
Regarding Claim 4, Yang discloses:
responsive to the first priority being higher than the second priority, listening, at the first node, for silence on the transmission channel; and
[(Yang discloses detecting silence (or idle) on the transmission channel:
[0149] Generally speaking, transmitting a wake-up packet within the sequence of wake-up packets may be made opportunistically by the transmitting device assigning a lower access priority to each of the sequence of wake-up packets used for waking up a receiving device operating in the enhanced asynchronous duty-cycled mode. Then each wake-up packet of the sequence of wake-up packets is transmitted at a scheduled transmission time of that wake-up packet if the channel is idle.
Fig 10; see also Fig 6; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)];
responsive to detecting silence on the transmission channel at the first node, continue transmitting the plurality of wake-up frames from the first node on the transmission channel after listening for silence
[(Yang discloses assigning priority to wake-up packet and transmit wake-up packets when channel is idle:
[0149] Generally speaking, transmitting a wake-up packet within the sequence of wake-up packets may be made opportunistically by the transmitting device assigning a lower access priority to each of the sequence of wake-up packets used for waking up a receiving device operating in the enhanced asynchronous duty-cycled mode. Then each wake-up packet of the sequence of wake-up packets is transmitted at a scheduled transmission time of that wake-up packet if the channel is idle.
Fig 10; see also Fig 6; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)].
Yang does not elaborate about priority comparison.
However, Park discloses:
responsive to the first priority being higher than the second priority, listening, at the first node, for silence on the transmission channel; and
[(Park discloses transmitting wake up frame with higher priority:
[0129] ………. The AP2 820, which has received the wakeup negotiation frame and now has a higher priority than the AP1 810 as the RN value (=28) of the AP2 820 has become smaller than that (=255) of the AP1 810, can carry out data transmission while responding to the paging STA 800 by using a wakeup frame when it is time for the paging STA 800 again to transmit a paging frame.
Fig 8; see also Figs 2-5)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Yang’s method for wake up mode switching with Park’s method for transmitting wake up frames with the motivation being to reduce power consumption wasted (Park, Abstract).
Regarding Claim 5, Yang discloses about listing (or monitoring) if channel is idle:
responsive to the second priority being higher than the first priority, continue listening, at the first node, to the transmission channel for wake-up frames from the second node
[(Yang discloses listening (or monitoring) channels, and transmit wake up frame if channel is idle:
[0149] …….. Then each wake-up packet of the sequence of wake-up packets is transmitted at a scheduled transmission time of that wake-up packet if the channel is idle.
Fig 10; see also Fig 6; Figs 2-5 and 7-9)].
Yang does not elaborate about priority comparison.
However, Park discloses:
responsive to the second priority being higher than the first priority, continue listening, at the first node, to the transmission channel for wake-up frames from the second node
[(Park discloses transmitting wake up frame with higher priority, and implies that the lower priority node will keep waiting:
[0129] ………. The AP2 820, which has received the wakeup negotiation frame and now has a higher priority than the AP1 810 as the RN value (=28) of the AP2 820 has become smaller than that (=255) of the AP1 810, can carry out data transmission while responding to the paging STA 800 by using a wakeup frame when it is time for the paging STA 800 again to transmit a paging frame.
Fig 8; see also Figs 2-5)].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrate Yang’s method for wake up mode switching with Park’s method for transmitting wake up frames with the motivation being to reduce power consumption wasted (Park, Abstract).
Regarding Claims 9-13, the system claims disclose similar features as of Claims 1-5, and are rejected accordingly.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jung-Jen Liu whose telephone number is 571-270-7643. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B. Yao can be reached on 571-272-3182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JUNG LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473