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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f):
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f), except as otherwise indicated in an Office Action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), except as otherwise indicated in an Office Action.
Claims 25-29 appear to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).
A review of the specification shows the following appears to be corresponding structure described in the specification for purposes of § 112(f):
Claim 25 recites multiple limitations requiring “means for . . . ,” including:
means for partitioning a range of gain state values into a plurality of regions of operation, each of the plurality of regions of operation being associated with a respective blocker of a plurality of blockers;
[Applicant discloses this in ¶¶ 0083, 0089, 0091, 0109, and Figs. 5-8, Communications Manager 520, Partitioning Component 625, Partitioning Component 725, and Communications Manager 820, indicating at least one processor (¶ 0076) performing this step.]
means for calculating, for a received signal, a prescale backoff value for one or more gain state values within the range of gain state values based at least in part on a particular gain state value being within a corresponding region of operation of the plurality of regions of operation;
[Applicant discloses this in ¶¶ 0083, 0089, 0091-0093, 0098, 0101, 0109, and Figs. 5-8, Communications Manager 520, Backoff Component 630, Backoff Component 730, and Communications Manager 820, indicating at least one processor (¶ 0076) performing this step.]
means for applying the calculated prescale backoff value to the received signal, the application of the calculated prescale backoff value resulting in a prescaled signal; and
[Applicant discloses this in ¶¶ 0083, 0089, 0091-0093, 0098, 0101, 0109, and Figs. 5-8, Communications Manager 520, Backoff Component 630, Backoff Component 730, and Communications Manager 820, indicating at least one processor (¶ 0076) performing this step.]
means for processing the prescaled signal.
[Applicant discloses this in ¶¶ 0083, 0089, 0098, 0109, and Figs. 5-8, Communications Manager 520, Signal Processing Component 635, Signal Processing Component 735, and Communications Manager 820, indicating at least one processor (¶ 0076) performing this step.]
Similarly, the “means for” recited in claims 26-29 appear to be disclosed in the original specification, ¶¶ 0083, 0089, 0098, 0109, and Figs. 5-8, Communications Manager 520 and Communications Manager 820.
If Applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the Examiner's interpretation of the corresponding structure, Applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this office action.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. §112(f);
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. § 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. § 132(a)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, 9, 13, 21, 25, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over US 2011/0206152 (hereinafter, “ROFOUGARAN”) in view of US 2017/0251439 (hereinafter, “LIU”).
Regarding claim 1, ROFOUGARAN discloses:
[¶ 0082: Interconnected computer systems], comprising:
one or more memories (System memory 118) storing processor-executable code; and
one or more processors (Processor 116) coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network entity to:
partition a range of gain state values into a plurality of regions of operation, each of the plurality of regions of operation being associated with a respective blocker of a plurality of blockers; (¶ 0066: [A]ntenna 205b may receive wideband RF signals in the desired frequency range that may include a blocker; ¶ 0045: RSSI circuit 111 may be able to generate a signal strength indication for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by varying the frequency range of the narrow bandwidth spectrum. Accordingly, the RSSI circuit 111 may detect a blocker at various frequency ranges within the wide bandwidth spectrum. An embodiment of the invention may vary the frequency range for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by, for example, bandpass filtering received signals in the wide bandwidth spectrum; ¶ 0075: [B]locker 405 may exist within a narrow bandwidth spectrum 402 of frequency Fa to frequency Fb. The signal strength within the frequency range Fa to Fb may have a normalized signal level of 1. Accordingly, the blocker 405 may saturate the RF front end 110 such that desired signals within a portion of the frequency range Fa to Fb may not be recovered; ¶ 0080: [W]ireless terminal 100 may also reconfigure the antennas 105 a and 105 b to operate via at least one of a plurality of different center frequencies within a specified range when receiving signals)
calculate, for a received signal, a prescale backoff value for one or more gain state values within the range of gain state values based at least in part on a particular gain state value being within a corresponding region of operation of the plurality of regions of operation; (¶ 0050: [P]rocessor 116 may select a specific frequency for a local oscillator, or a specific gain for a variable gain amplifier. Moreover, the specific frequency selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters needed to calculate the specific gain, may be stored; ¶ 0051: [C]alculate frequencies and/or gain, and/or the frequency value and/or gain value)
apply the calculated prescale backoff value to the received signal, the application of the calculated prescale backoff value resulting in a prescaled signal; and (Fig. 5, step 506; ¶ 0078: In step 506, the processor 116, for example, may adjust a gain of the LNA 214 and/or the phase adjustment for the phase adjust block 216. Accordingly, the RF signal received by the antenna 205a may be adjusted in signal strength and/or phase and combined with the amplified RF signal received by the antenna 205b)
process the prescaled signal. (Fig. 5, step 508; ¶ In step 508, the RSSI circuit 111 may determine the wide bandwidth signal strength level. The RSSI circuit 111 may also determine the signal strength level for the narrow bandwidth spectrum determined in step 502 to have the largest signal strength level ¶ 0066: The output signal may be further processed by the RF front end 110. The output signal from the signal combiner 222 may also be processed by the RSSI circuit 111 to generate a wide bandwidth signal strength indication and a narrow bandwidth signal strength indication)
Although ROFOUGARAN discloses “different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems,” see, Id. at ¶ 0082, ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose A network entity.
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
A network entity (¶ 0004: [A] receiver in a wireless local area network (WLAN for short) receives a signal, a power gain is first adjusted for the received signal; ¶ 0065: FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of an automatic gain control method in a wireless local area network according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method in FIG. 4 may be executed by a receiver device, such as the AP 102)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ROFOUGARAN’s blocker attenuation procedure to substitute a network entity for a wireless terminal as taught by LIU to provide an automatic gain control (AGC) method and a communications device in a wireless local area network, so that system overhead can be reduced. See LIU, at ¶ 0006.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of ROFOUGARAN and LIU, renders obvious the network entity of claim 1. ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the network entity is a local network entity.
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
wherein the network entity is a local network entity. (¶ 0065: The method in FIG. 4 may be executed by a receiver device, such as the AP 102)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ROFOUGARAN’s blocker attenuation procedure to substitute a network entity for a wireless terminal as taught by LIU to provide an automatic gain control (AGC) method and a communications device in a wireless local area network, so that system overhead can be reduced. See LIU, at ¶ 0006.
Regarding claim 13, ROFOUGARAN discloses:
A method for wireless communications at [Interconnected computer systems ¶ 0082], comprising:
partitioning a range of gain state values into a plurality of regions of operation, each of the plurality of regions of operation being associated with a respective blocker of a plurality of blockers; (¶ 0066: [A]ntenna 205b may receive wideband RF signals in the desired frequency range that may include a blocker; ¶ 0045: RSSI circuit 111 may be able to generate a signal strength indication for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by varying the frequency range of the narrow bandwidth spectrum. Accordingly, the RSSI circuit 111 may detect a blocker at various frequency ranges within the wide bandwidth spectrum. An embodiment of the invention may vary the frequency range for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by, for example, bandpass filtering received signals in the wide bandwidth spectrum; ¶ 0075: [B]locker 405 may exist within a narrow bandwidth spectrum 402 of frequency Fa to frequency Fb. The signal strength within the frequency range Fa to Fb may have a normalized signal level of 1. Accordingly, the blocker 405 may saturate the RF front end 110 such that desired signals within a portion of the frequency range Fa to Fb may not be recovered; ¶ 0080: [W]ireless terminal 100 may also reconfigure the antennas 105 a and 105 b to operate via at least one of a plurality of different center frequencies within a specified range when receiving signals)
calculating, for a received signal, a prescale backoff value for one or more gain state values within the range of gain state values based at least in part on a particular gain state value being within a corresponding region of operation of the plurality of regions of operation; (¶ 0050: [P]rocessor 116 may select a specific frequency for a local oscillator, or a specific gain for a variable gain amplifier. Moreover, the specific frequency selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters needed to calculate the specific gain, may be stored; ¶ 0051: [C]alculate frequencies and/or gain, and/or the frequency value and/or gain value)
applying the calculated prescale backoff value to the received signal, the application of the calculated prescale backoff value resulting in a prescaled signal; and (Fig. 5, step 506; ¶ 0078: In step 506, the processor 116, for example, may adjust a gain of the LNA 214 and/or the phase adjustment for the phase adjust block 216. Accordingly, the RF signal received by the antenna 205a may be adjusted in signal strength and/or phase and combined with the amplified RF signal received by the antenna 205b)
processing the prescaled signal. (Fig. 5, step 508; ¶ In step 508, the RSSI circuit 111 may determine the wide bandwidth signal strength level. The RSSI circuit 111 may also determine the signal strength level for the narrow bandwidth spectrum determined in step 502 to have the largest signal strength level ¶ 0066: The output signal may be further processed by the RF front end 110. The output signal from the signal combiner 222 may also be processed by the RSSI circuit 111 to generate a wide bandwidth signal strength indication and a narrow bandwidth signal strength indication)
Although ROFOUGARAN discloses “different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems,” see, Id. at ¶ 0082, ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose a network entity.
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
a network entity (¶ 0004: [A] receiver in a wireless local area network (WLAN for short) receives a signal, a power gain is first adjusted for the received signal; ¶ 0065: FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of an automatic gain control method in a wireless local area network according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method in FIG. 4 may be executed by a receiver device, such as the AP 102)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ROFOUGARAN’s blocker attenuation procedure to substitute a network entity for a wireless terminal as taught by LIU to provide an automatic gain control (AGC) method and a communications device in a wireless local area network, so that system overhead can be reduced. See LIU, at ¶ 0006.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of ROFOUGARAN and LIU, renders obvious the method of claim 13. ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the network entity is a local network entity.
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
wherein the network entity is a local network entity. (¶ 0065: The method in FIG. 4 may be executed by a receiver device, such as the AP 102)
Regarding claim 25, ROFOUGARAN discloses:
[Interconnected computer systems, ¶ 0082] for wireless communications, comprising:
means for partitioning a range of gain state values into a plurality of regions of operation, each of the plurality of regions of operation being associated with a respective blocker of a plurality of blockers; (¶ 0066: [A]ntenna 205b may receive wideband RF signals in the desired frequency range that may include a blocker; ¶ 0045: RSSI circuit 111 may be able to generate a signal strength indication for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by varying the frequency range of the narrow bandwidth spectrum. Accordingly, the RSSI circuit 111 may detect a blocker at various frequency ranges within the wide bandwidth spectrum. An embodiment of the invention may vary the frequency range for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by, for example, bandpass filtering received signals in the wide bandwidth spectrum; ¶ 0075: [B]locker 405 may exist within a narrow bandwidth spectrum 402 of frequency Fa to frequency Fb. The signal strength within the frequency range Fa to Fb may have a normalized signal level of 1. Accordingly, the blocker 405 may saturate the RF front end 110 such that desired signals within a portion of the frequency range Fa to Fb may not be recovered; ¶ 0080: [W]ireless terminal 100 may also reconfigure the antennas 105 a and 105 b to operate via at least one of a plurality of different center frequencies within a specified range when receiving signals)
means for calculating, for a received signal, a prescale backoff value for one or more gain state values within the range of gain state values based at least in part on a particular gain state value being within a corresponding region of operation of the plurality of regions of operation; (¶ 0050: [P]rocessor 116 may select a specific frequency for a local oscillator, or a specific gain for a variable gain amplifier. Moreover, the specific frequency selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters needed to calculate the specific gain, may be stored; ¶ 0051: [C]alculate frequencies and/or gain, and/or the frequency value and/or gain value)
means for applying the calculated prescale backoff value to the received signal, the application of the calculated prescale backoff value resulting in a prescaled signal; and (Fig. 5, step 506; ¶ 0078: In step 506, the processor 116, for example, may adjust a gain of the LNA 214 and/or the phase adjustment for the phase adjust block 216. Accordingly, the RF signal received by the antenna 205a may be adjusted in signal strength and/or phase and combined with the amplified RF signal received by the antenna 205b)
means for processing the prescaled signal. (Fig. 5, step 508; ¶ In step 508, the RSSI circuit 111 may determine the wide bandwidth signal strength level. The RSSI circuit 111 may also determine the signal strength level for the narrow bandwidth spectrum determined in step 502 to have the largest signal strength level ¶ 0066: The output signal may be further processed by the RF front end 110. The output signal from the signal combiner 222 may also be processed by the RSSI circuit 111 to generate a wide bandwidth signal strength indication and a narrow bandwidth signal strength indication)
Although ROFOUGARAN discloses “different elements are spread across several interconnected computer systems,” see, Id. at ¶ 0082, ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose A network entity.
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
A network entity (¶ 0004: [A] receiver in a wireless local area network (WLAN for short) receives a signal, a power gain is first adjusted for the received signal; ¶ 0065: FIG. 4 is a schematic flowchart of an automatic gain control method in a wireless local area network according to another embodiment of the present invention. The method in FIG. 4 may be executed by a receiver device, such as the AP 102)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ROFOUGARAN’s blocker attenuation procedure to substitute a network entity for a wireless terminal as taught by LIU to provide an automatic gain control (AGC) method and a communications device in a wireless local area network, so that system overhead can be reduced. See LIU, at ¶ 0006.
Regarding claim 30, ROFOUGARAN discloses:
[A computer program product, ¶ 0083] storing code for wireless communications, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors (Processor 116) to:
partition a range of gain state values into a plurality of regions of operation, each of the plurality of regions of operation being associated with a respective blocker of a plurality of blockers; (¶ 0066: [A]ntenna 205b may receive wideband RF signals in the desired frequency range that may include a blocker; ¶ 0045: RSSI circuit 111 may be able to generate a signal strength indication for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by varying the frequency range of the narrow bandwidth spectrum. Accordingly, the RSSI circuit 111 may detect a blocker at various frequency ranges within the wide bandwidth spectrum. An embodiment of the invention may vary the frequency range for the narrow bandwidth spectrum by, for example, bandpass filtering received signals in the wide bandwidth spectrum; ¶ 0075: [B]locker 405 may exist within a narrow bandwidth spectrum 402 of frequency Fa to frequency Fb. The signal strength within the frequency range Fa to Fb may have a normalized signal level of 1. Accordingly, the blocker 405 may saturate the RF front end 110 such that desired signals within a portion of the frequency range Fa to Fb may not be recovered; ¶ 0080: [W]ireless terminal 100 may also reconfigure the antennas 105 a and 105 b to operate via at least one of a plurality of different center frequencies within a specified range when receiving signals)
calculate, for a received signal, a prescale backoff value for one or more gain state values within the range of gain state values based at least in part on a particular gain state value being within a corresponding region of operation of the plurality of regions of operation; (¶ 0050: [P]rocessor 116 may select a specific frequency for a local oscillator, or a specific gain for a variable gain amplifier. Moreover, the specific frequency selected and/or parameters needed to calculate the specific frequency, and/or the specific gain value and/or the parameters needed to calculate the specific gain, may be stored; ¶ 0051: [C]alculate frequencies and/or gain, and/or the frequency value and/or gain value)
apply the calculated prescale backoff value to the received signal, the application of the calculated prescale backoff value resulting in a prescaled signal; and (Fig. 5, step 506; ¶ 0078: In step 506, the processor 116, for example, may adjust a gain of the LNA 214 and/or the phase adjustment for the phase adjust block 216. Accordingly, the RF signal received by the antenna 205a may be adjusted in signal strength and/or phase and combined with the amplified RF signal received by the antenna 205b)
process the prescaled signal. (Fig. 5, step 508; ¶ In step 508, the RSSI circuit 111 may determine the wide bandwidth signal strength level. The RSSI circuit 111 may also determine the signal strength level for the narrow bandwidth spectrum determined in step 502 to have the largest signal strength level ¶ 0066: The output signal may be further processed by the RF front end 110. The output signal from the signal combiner 222 may also be processed by the RSSI circuit 111 to generate a wide bandwidth signal strength indication and a narrow bandwidth signal strength indication)
ROFOUGARAN does not explicitly disclose:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium
In the same field of endeavor, however, LIU teaches:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium (¶ 0169: [A] computer-readable storage medium . . . includes: any medium that can store program code, such as a universal serial bus (USB) flash drive, a removable hard disk, a read-only memory (ROM for short), a random access memory (RAM for short), a magnetic disk, or an optical disc)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify ROFOUGARAN’s blocker attenuation procedure to provide a network entity for a wireless terminal as taught by LIU to provide non-transitory computer-readable medium, so that system overhead can be reduced. See LIU, at ¶ 0006.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-8, 10-12, 14-20, 22-24, and 26-29 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Garth D Richmond whose telephone number is (703)756-4559. The Examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARTH D RICHMOND/Examiner, Art Unit 2644
/KATHY W WANG-HURST/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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