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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for
any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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, 15, 16, 29 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Asterjadhi US PGPub: US 2015/0063251 A1 Mar. 5, 2015 and in view of
Huang US PGPub: US 2018/0255581 A1 Sep. 6, 2018.
Regarding claim 1, Asterjadhi discloses,
a wireless access point (the wireless communication system 100 may include an AP 104, which communicates with STAs 106 – Fig. 1/104, paragraph 0065. A process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by an access point, such as access point 104. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by wireless device 202, illustrated in Fig. 2. In one aspect, process 400 may be performed by the AP 104 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C to perform the AP 104's respective portions of the wireless communication exchanges shown in those figures– Fig. 4A, paragraph 0161), comprising:
a processing system that includes one or more processors and one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors (apparatus comprising memory 206 and processor 204. The wireless device 202 may comprise an AP 104, or a STA 106, and may be used to transmit and/or receive communications. That is, either AP 104, or STA 106, may serve as transmitter or receiver devices - Fig. 2/202, paragraph 0082), the processing system configured to cause the wireless access point to:
receive, from a first wireless station (a request from a first wireless device for permission to transmit during a transmission opportunity of a second wireless device is received – Fig. 4A/405, paragraph 0162. The process 700 may be performed by the AP 104 relay described with respect to FIG. 3H and/or FIG. 3I – Fig. 7A, paragraph 0198), a request to send RTS signal in a communication bandwidth in which the wireless access point performs wireless communications with a plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) including the first wireless station (the STA 106a initiating a relay-shared TXOP by transmitting an S1G request-to-send message 3005 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0152. The first message is received via a first wireless device, the first message is generated as a request-to-send message, which may include a duration/ID field, such as duration/ID field 382b in request-to-send frame 380 – Fig. 7A/705, paragraph 0199); and
transmit, to the first wireless station (a message is transmitted to the first wireless device granting permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity in response to the request – Fig. 4A/410, paragraph 0163. The AP 104 then responds with a null data packet NDP clear-to-send frame 3010 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0153) and one or more other wireless stations of the plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069), a trigger signal (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) corresponding to the RTS signal for allocating at least a first portion of resources of the communication bandwidth to the first wireless station for a transmit opportunity with respect to the communication bandwidth (if permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity is granted by the acknowledgement message 307, a clear "more data" indication may indicate the STA 106 will receive a trigger frame from the AP 104 when it is allowed to transmit during an AP transmission opportunity – paragraph 0093),
but, does not discloses, “and further allocating one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth to the one or more other wireless stations for the transmit opportunity”.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 2, Asterjadhi discloses all the claimed features,
but, does not disclose, the wireless access point of claim 1, wherein the processing system is configured to cause the wireless access point to: sense that the first portion of the resources of the communication bandwidth and the one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth meet criteria for communication availability.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 15, Asterjadhi discloses,
a wireless station (the wireless communication system 100 may include an AP
104, which communicates with STAs 106 – Fig. 1/104, paragraph 0065. A process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by an access point, such as access point 104. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by wireless device 202, illustrated in Fig. 2. In one aspect, process 400 may be performed by the AP 104 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C to perform the AP 104's respective portions of the wireless communication exchanges shown in those figures– Fig. 4A, paragraph 0161), comprising:
a processing system that includes one or more processors and one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors (apparatus comprising memory 206 and processor 204. The wireless device 202 may comprise an AP 104, or a STA 106, and may be used to transmit and/or receive communications. That is, either AP 104, or STA 106, may serve as transmitter or receiver devices - Fig. 2/202, paragraph 0082), the processing system configured to cause the wireless station to:
transmit, to a wireless access point (a request from a first wireless device for permission to transmit during a transmission opportunity of a second wireless device is received – Fig. 4A/405, paragraph 0162. The process 700 may be performed by the AP 104 relay described with respect to FIG. 3H and/or FIG. 3I – Fig. 7A, paragraph 0198), a request to send RTS signal in a communication bandwidth in which the wireless access point performs wireless communications with a plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) including the wireless station (the STA 106a initiating a relay-shared TXOP by transmitting an S1G request-to-send message 3005 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0152. The first message is received via a first wireless device, the first message is generated as a request-to-send message, which may include a duration/ID field, such as duration/ID field 382b in request-to-send frame 380 – Fig. 7A/705, paragraph 0199); and
receive, from the wireless access point (a message is transmitted to the first wireless device granting permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity in response to the request – Fig. 4A/410, paragraph 0163. The AP 104 then responds with a null data packet NDP clear-to-send frame 3010 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0153), a trigger signal (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) corresponding to the RTS signal for allocating at least a first portion of resources of the communication bandwidth to the wireless station for a transmit opportunity with respect to the communication bandwidth (if permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity is granted by the acknowledgement message 307, a clear "more data" indication may indicate the STA 106 will receive a trigger frame from the AP 104 when it is allowed to transmit during an AP transmission opportunity – paragraph 0093),
but, does not disclose, “and further allocating one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth to one or more other wireless stations for the transmit opportunity”.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 16, Asterjadhi discloses,
but, does not disclose, the wireless station of claim 15, wherein the first portion of the resources of the communication bandwidth and the one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth meet criteria for communication availability prior to receiving the trigger signal.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 29, Asterjadhi discloses,
a method for wireless communication by a wireless access point (the wireless communication system 100 may include an AP 104, which communicates with STAs 106 – Fig. 1/104, paragraph 0065. A process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by an access point, such as access point 104. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by wireless device 202, illustrated in Fig. 2. In one aspect, process 400 may be performed by the AP 104 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C to perform the AP 104's respective portions of the wireless communication exchanges shown in those figures– Fig. 4A, paragraph 0161. An apparatus comprising memory 206 and processor 204. The wireless device 202 may comprise an AP 104, or a STA 106, and may be used to transmit and/or receive communications. That is, either AP 104, or STA 106, may serve as transmitter or receiver devices - Fig. 2/202, paragraph 0082), comprising:
receiving, from a first wireless station (a request from a first wireless device for permission to transmit during a transmission opportunity of a second wireless device is received – Fig. 4A/405, paragraph 0162. The process 700 may be performed by the AP 104 relay described with respect to FIG. 3H and/or FIG. 3I – Fig. 7A, paragraph 0198), a request to send RTS signal in a communication bandwidth in which the wireless access point performs wireless communications with a plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) including the first wireless station (the STA 106a initiating a relay-shared TXOP by transmitting an S1G request-to-send message 3005 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0152. The first message is received via a first wireless device, the first message is generated as a request-to-send message, which may include a duration/ID field, such as duration/ID field 382b in request-to-send frame 380 – Fig. 7A/705, paragraph 0199); and
transmitting, to the first wireless station (a message is transmitted to the first wireless device granting permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity in response to the request – Fig. 4A/410, paragraph 0163. The AP 104 then responds with a null data packet NDP clear-to-send frame 3010 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0153) and one or more other wireless stations of the plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069), a trigger signal (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) corresponding to the RTS signal for allocating at least a first portion of resources of the communication bandwidth to the first wireless station for a transmit opportunity with respect to the communication bandwidth (if permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity is granted by the acknowledgement message 307, a clear "more data" indication may indicate the STA 106 will receive a trigger frame from the AP 104 when it is allowed to transmit during an AP transmission opportunity – paragraph 0093),
but, does not discloses, “and further allocating one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth to the one or more other wireless stations for the transmit opportunity”.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 30, Asterjadhi discloses,
a method for wireless communication by a wireless station (the wireless communication system 100 may include an AP 104, which communicates with STAs 106 – Fig. 1/104, paragraph 0065. A process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by an access point, such as access point 104. In an embodiment, process 400 may be performed by wireless device 202, illustrated in Fig. 2. In one aspect, process 400 may be performed by the AP 104 illustrated in FIGS. 3A-C to perform the AP 104's respective portions of the wireless communication exchanges shown in those figures– Fig. 4A, paragraph 0161. An apparatus comprising memory 206 and processor 204. The wireless device 202 may comprise an AP 104, or a STA 106, and may be used to transmit and/or receive communications. That is, either AP 104, or STA 106, may serve as transmitter or receiver devices - Fig. 2/202, paragraph 0082), comprising:
transmitting, to a wireless access point (a request from a first wireless device for permission to transmit during a transmission opportunity of a second wireless device is received – Fig. 4A/405, paragraph 0162. The process 700 may be performed by the AP 104 relay described with respect to FIG. 3H and/or FIG. 3I – Fig. 7A, paragraph 0198), a request to send RTS signal in a communication bandwidth in which the wireless access point performs wireless communications with a plurality of wireless stations (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) including the wireless station (the STA 106a initiating a relay-shared TXOP by transmitting an S1G request-to-send message 3005 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0152. The first message is received via a first wireless device, the first message is generated as a request-to-send message, which may include a duration/ID field, such as duration/ID field 382b in request-to-send frame 380 – Fig. 7A/705, paragraph 0199); and
receiving, from the wireless access point (a message is transmitted to the first wireless device granting permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity in response to the request – Fig. 4A/410, paragraph 0163. The AP 104 then responds with a null data packet NDP clear-to-send frame 3010 – Fig. 3H, paragraph 0153), a trigger signal (the AP 104 may transmit a beacon signal or simply a "beacon", via a communication link such as the downlink 108, to other nodes STAs 106 of the system 100, which may help the other nodes STAs 106 to synchronize their timing with the AP 104, or which may provide other information or functionality - Fig. 1/106a – 106d, paragraph 0069) corresponding to the RTS signal for allocating at least a first portion of resources of the communication bandwidth to the wireless station for a transmit opportunity with respect to the communication bandwidth (if permission to transmit during a second wireless device transmission opportunity is granted by the acknowledgement message 307, a clear "more data" indication may indicate the STA 106 will receive a trigger frame from the AP 104 when it is allowed to transmit during an AP transmission opportunity – paragraph 0093),
but, does not disclose, “and further allocating one or more other portions of the resources of the communication bandwidth to one or more other wireless stations for the transmit opportunity”.
Huang teaches, trigger frame response with network allocation vector. An apparatus of a station comprising memory and processing circuitry coupled to the memory is disclosed. The processing circuitry is configured to: decode a frame comprising a first duration and a first transmitter address, if the frame is a trigger frame or a multi-user request-to-send MU-RTS frame from a master station of a basic service set BSS, respond to the trigger frame or the MU-RTS frame if the trigger frame or MU-RTS frame comprises a NAV indicator that indicates not to consider a network allocation vector NAV (ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0018 - 0021).
The AP 202 may be a master station 102. The STAs 204 may be HEW stations 104. The TXOP 200 may be triggered by the trigger frame 212 transmitted by the AP 202. The trigger frame 212 may include a resource allocation for the stations STA1 204.1, STA2 204.2, STA3 204.3, and STA4 204.4. In some embodiments, resource allocations for the STAs 204 may have been transmitted to the STAs 204 in a previous transmission. The trigger frame 212 may be a frame that indicates that the STAs 204 should begin MU UL transmission. The STAs 204 may after waiting a duration - e.g., interframe space transmit the UL MU transmissions 206 in accordance with the resource allocations (Fig. 2, paragraph 0029).
The bandwidth of a subchannel may be 1 MHz, 1.25 MHz, 2.03 MHz, 2.5 MHz, 4.06 MHz, 5 MHz and 10 MHz, or a combination thereof or another bandwidth that is less or equal to the available bandwidth may also be used (paragraph 0022).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of invention, to modify a process for allocating a data communications medium between a first and second wireless device on a wireless communication network of Asterjadhi (Asterjadhi, Figs. 1/104, 2, 4A, 7A, paragraphs 0065, 0161) wherein the system of Asterjadhi, would have incorporated trigger frame response with network allocation vector of Huang (Huang, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 3, 10, paragraphs 0002, 0022, 0029) for an efficient use of the resources of a wireless local-area network WLAN is important to provide bandwidth and acceptable response times to the users of the WLAN (Huang, paragraph 0003).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 10, 17, 24 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.
Claims 4 – 9, 11 – 14, 18 – 23 and 25 – 28 are also objected due to their dependency on objected claims 3, 10, 17 and 24 respectively.
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicants disclosure.
Shi US PGPub: US 2019/0327743 A1 Oct. 24, 2019.
An uplink control information sending method, a network device, and a terminal are provided. A terminal determines physical uplink control channel PUCCH channel resource configuration information. The PUCCH channel resource configuration information is used to instruct the terminal to send uplink control information based on a configured PUCCH channel resource, and the PUCCH channel resource configuration information is preconfigured, or is sent by a network device. The terminal sends the uplink control information based on the PUCCH channel resource configuration information using the configured PUCCH channel resource. The uplink control information includes one or a combination of downlink data acknowledgement information, a downlink channel state information, a scheduling request, and buffer state information.
Matsuo US PGPub: US 2017/0078052 A1 Mar. 16, 2017.
A wireless communication device includes a receiver and a transmitter. The receiver is configured to receive a plurality of first frames. The plurality of first frames are multiplexed and transmitted. The transmitter is configured to multiplex and transmit a second frame and a third frame. The second frame includes acknowledgement responses that indicate reception success or failure for at least two of the plurality of first frames.
Ma US PGPub: US 2016/0066342 A1 Mar. 3, 2016.
An apparatus, method and system of multi-user uplink transmission. An apparatus may include a transmitter to transmit a multi-user (MU) downlink transmission to a plurality of wireless stations; a receiver to receive from the plurality of wireless stations a plurality of acknowledgement (ACK) frames, at least one ACK frame from at least one wireless station including an uplink scheduling request indicating uplink resources requested by the wireless station; and a scheduler to schedule an uplink transmission from the at least one wireless station based on the uplink scheduling request, the transmitter to transmit at least one scheduling frame including scheduling information of the scheduled uplink transmission.
Ajami US PGPub: US 2023/0104446 A1 Apr. 6, 2023.
systems, methods, and apparatus for managing data traffic in restricted target wake time (TWT) service periods (SPs). In some aspects, an access point (AP) receives a request frame from a wireless station (STA) associated with a client device via a peer-to-peer (P2P) link, the request frame indicating that the STA intends to exchange P2P communications with the client device during a r-TWT SP scheduled on a wireless medium. The AP obtains a transmission opportunity (TXOP) on the wireless medium during the r-TWT SP, the request frame identifying the client device. The AP transmits a trigger frame on the wireless medium responsive to obtaining the TXOP, the trigger frame allocating a portion of the obtained TXOP for P2P communications between the STA and the client device, wherein at least one of the response frame or the trigger frame indicates a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) exception for the client device.
Cavalcanti US PGPub: US 2021/0022154 A1 Jan. 21, 2021.
An apparatus, system and method of scheduling Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) wireless communications. For example, an apparatus may include logic and circuitry configured to cause a wireless communication Access Point (AP) to allocate at least one Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) enabled (TSN-enabled) Target Wakeup Time (TWT) Service Period (SP) based on one or more timing requirements of a TSN schedule of at least one TSN stream for at least one wireless communication station (STA); to transmit a TWT scheduling message to schedule the TSN-enabled TWT SP, the TWT scheduling message including an indication that the TSN-enabled TWT SP is restricted to only TSN communications; and, during the TSN-enabled TWT SP, to communicate one or more frames of the at least one TSN stream with the at least one STA.
Zhu PGPub: US 2014/0119288 A1 May 1, 2014.
The method and system for uplink multi-user multiple-input-multiple-output communication in wireless networks. Wireless communication in a wireless network comprises a wireless station obtaining a transmission opportunity period (TXOP) for communicating with an access point (AP) over a wireless communication channel. The wireless station sends an announcement to the AP to share the transmission opportunity period with at least another wireless station, as a multi-user transmission opportunity period for simultaneously transmitting data from said wireless stations to the AP on multiple uplink (UL) spatial streams over the wireless channel.
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/NIMESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642