DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the amendment and arguments filed on March 30, 2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claims 1-20 are rejected.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on December 10, 2025 and April 21, 2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see page 5, filed March 30, 2026, with respect to the rejection of Claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of Claim 8 under 35 U.S.C. §112(b) has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, see page 5-6, filed March 30, 2026 with respect to the rejection of Claims 1, 9 and 16 and in particular the prior art reference Minotani et al. (US 2024/0215048) have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The rejection has been revised and set forth below according to the amended claims (see Office Action).
Applicant argues as follows:
Minotani does not teach that an acknowledge (ACK) or clear-to-send (CTS) signal would include an indication "that the first STA has received the first frame" as recited in claim 1 (emphasis added). Rather, the ACK or CTS would merely indicate that reception of the alleged first frame occurred without specifying which STA received the alleged first frame. Nothing in Minotani teaches otherwise. As explained above, Minotani's "response signal" that is transmitted "to AP 100" does not teach "a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame." Thus, for similar reasons as discussed for claim 1, Minotani fails to teach "transmitting, to the access point, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame" as recited in claim 16.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Prior art reference Minotani is directed to a terminal which receives control information including information regarding a timing of a frequency resource for performing reception processing, among a plurality of frequency resources used for the frequency-multiplexed transmission of a plurality of downlink signals; and a control circuit which controls the reception processing on the basis of the control information. Minotani discloses in Figure 7, 9 and 14 where an access point transits control information for example, the MU-RTS including the A-PPDU control information to the HE STA and the EHT STA. The station receives the control information and transmits the CTS to AP 100 in the frequency resource (Primary 160 MHz in FIG. 14) notified in the RU Allocation subfield. After the transmission of the CTS, for example, the HE STA may receive the HE PPDU included in the DL A-PPDU in the primary channel (in other words, the frequency resource used for the transmission of the CTS) (Paragraph [0139-0143]). In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information (Paragraph [0105]). That is in response to the reception of the control information that station responds with a Clear to send message acknowledging reception of an acknowledgement signaling. The acknowledgement signaling is known in the art to signify the station has received the frame.
To better convey the Examiners interpretation this is further evidenced by newly cited prior art reference Cherian et al. (US 2022/0078844). Prior art reference Cherian in the same field of endeavor discloses transmission of control information and transmission of aggregated MPDUs. Prior art reference Cherian discloses in Paragraph [0087 and 0113] Transmission of a MU-RTS trigger frame. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate, to the one or more identified STAs, time and frequency resources that can be used for uplink transmissions, downlink transmissions, or both. Although not shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity, each of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a frame (such as a CTS frame or an ACK frame) to acknowledge receipt of the MU-RTS trigger frame.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani with the teachings of Cherian. Cherian provides a solution which enables ensuring that peer-to-peer (P2P) communications can be handled in a manner that minimizes latency and satisfies any specified performance requirements. The method allows a wireless communication device operating an AP to receive the protection frame from the STAs belonging to the restricted TWT session that are permitted to transmit or receive P2P communications on the wireless channel during the TXOP (Cherian Abstract; Paragraph [0002-0015]).
Thus the references do teach “receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame”. The rejection has been revised and set forth below according to the amended claims (See Office Action).
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 5 and 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. The rejection has been revised and set forth below according to the amended claims (see Office Action).
All remaining arguments presented by Applicant not specifically addressed herein and directed to various dependent claims are found unpersuasive for the same reasons as stated herein, supra, with regard to independent claims.
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.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6 and 8-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Minotani et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2024/0215048, hereinafter Minotani, in view of Cherian et al. U.S .Patent application Publication 2022/0078844, hereinafter Cherian, and Ding et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2025/0202736, hereinafter Ding.
Regarding Claim 1, Minotani discloses a method(Abstract; Figure 1-4, 7, 9 and 14) comprising:
transmitting, by an access point and to a first station (STA), a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission to the first STA (Figure 1, 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0046-0050] The A-PPDU is, for example, a signal including two or more PPDUs of a wireless standard after 11ax. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the A-PPDU is a signal including a PPDU corresponding to 11ax (for example, referred to as an HE PPDU) and a PPDU corresponding to 11be (for example, referred to as an EHT PPDU); The HE PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz including the primary channel (also referred to as a primary 80 MHz channel), and the EHT PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz not including the primary channel (also referred to as a secondary 80 MHz channel); Paragraph [0103-0107] in a case of transmitting the DL A-PPDU, AP 100 may notify each STA 200 (for example, the HE STA and the EHT STA) of the A-PPDU control information including the channel information for each STA 200 to receive the A-PPDU.);
receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Figure 7; Paragraph [0103-0107] , as illustrated in FIG. 7, upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, after receiving the response signals, AP 100 may transmit the DL A-PPDU. For example, AP 100 transmits the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the reception of the response signals, and, for example, each STA 200 may receive the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the transmission of the response signal);
and transmitting, based on the second frame and via at least the secondary channel, an A-PPDU comprising a first PPDU for the first STA (Figure 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0103-0107] each STA 200 may perform the reception process of the A-PPDU, based on the channel information notified by the A-PPDU control information; Paragraph [0118-0128] AP 100 may transmit the A-PPDU to the HE STA and the EHT STA at a timing within the period corresponding to the TXOP. As illustrated in FIG. 9, for example, AP 100 may transmit, to the HE STA and the EHT STA, a signal different from the DLA-PPDU (for example, the HE PPDU or the EHT PPDU) within the period of the TXOP. the EHT STA may decide the timing (or the period) of performing the reception process of a data signal (for example, the EHT PPDU) addressed to the EHT STA in a specific frequency resource (for example, the non-primary channel) for the A-PPDU, based on the A-PPDU control information. Accordingly, for example, the EHT STA can appropriately decide the timing of receiving the DL signal included in the DL A-PPDU in the non-primary channel, and can perform the reception process of the DL signal in an appropriate channel).
Prior art reference Minotani readily discloses transmission of a CTS or ACK acknowledgement signaling but may not explicitly disclose receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame.
However, the above limitation is known in the art as evidenced by Cherian. Cherian more specifically teaches receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Paragraph [0087 and 0113] Transmission of a MU-RTS trigger frame. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate, to the one or more identified STAs, time and frequency resources that can be used for uplink transmissions, downlink transmissions, or both. Although not shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity, each of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a frame (such as a CTS frame or an ACK frame) to acknowledge receipt of the MU-RTS trigger frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani with the teachings of Cherian. Cherian provides a solution which enables ensuring that peer-to-peer (P2P) communications can be handled in a manner that minimizes latency and satisfies any specified performance requirements. The method allows a wireless communication device operating an AP to receive the protection frame from the STAs belonging to the restricted TWT session that are permitted to transmit or receive P2P communications on the wireless channel during the TXOP (Cherian Abstract; Paragraph [0002-0015]).
Minotani in view of Cherian discloses transmitting a first frame by an access point to a first station with a secondary channel for A-PPDU transmission but may not explicitly disclose a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission.
However, Ding more specifically teaches a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission (Figure 5 and 29; Paragraph [0078] The bandwidth of a single PPDU of an A-PPDU may be equal to or larger than 80 MHz. One of the PPDU (e.g. HE PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the primary channel (e.g. Primary 80 MHZ (P80) channel,) and the other PPDU (e.g. EHT PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the secondary (non-primary) channel (e.g. Secondary 80 MHZ (S80) channel). Subchannel selective transmission (SST) scheme may be used to set up PPDU transmission over secondary 80/160 MHz channel prior to the A-PPDU transmission; Paragraph [0124-0125] an AP 2902 transmits a DL PPDU 2912 that carries HE NDP Announcement and EHT NDP Announcement frames to initiate an aggregated TB sounding procedure. The HE NDP Announcement frame is targeted at HE STAs and EHT STAs that are expected to transmit/receive an HE PPDU after the sounding procedure, whereas the EHT NDP Announcement frame is targeted at EHT STAs. After a SIFS, the AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively. Subsequently, the AP 2902/the non-AP STAs 2904, 2906 may transmit DL/UL A-PPDU containing an HE PPDU in the primary channel and an EHT PPDU in the secondary channel, respectively).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani in view of Cherian with the teachings of Ding. Ding provides a feasible technical solutions for aggregated signal sounding procedure in context of EHT WLAN. The apparatus allows an access point (AP) and a station to perform a sounding procedure to achieve good throughput gain with traffic from mixed generations of stations in large bandwidth, so that the apparatus defines aggregated physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDLJ) transmission in order to efficiently achieve better throughput gain in the EHT (Ding Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0012 and 0153]).
Regarding Claim 2, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first frame further indicates a second STA is associated with a primary channel for the A-PPDU transmission (Minotani Paragraph [0048-0051]; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0126] The AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively; That is the PPDU is transmitted via a primary channel to a second station utilizing a high efficiency PPDU).
Regarding Claim 3, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first PPDU has a bandwidth of at least one of 40, 80, 160, 240, or 320 MHz (Minotani Paragraph [0136]; Ding Paragraph [0078]).
Regarding Claim 4, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the A-PPDU further comprises a second PPDU for transmission, via a primary channel, to a second STA (Minotani Paragraph [0048-0051]; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0126] The AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively; That is the PPDU is transmitted via a primary channel to a second station utilizing a high efficiency PPDU).
Regarding Claim 6, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the second frame comprises a trigger-based (TB) PPDU (Ding Figure 3 and 29; Paragraph [0070, 0096-0103 and 0116-0117] To enable uplink MU transmissions, trigger-based communication is provided to the MIMO wireless network. PPDUs used for trigger-based uplink transmissions if the communication apparatus 1800 is an AP, and for example or PPDUs used for trigger-based downlink transmissions if the communication apparatus 1800 is a STA).
Regarding Claim 8, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the A-PPDU further comprises a second PPDU for a second STA, the second PPDU comprising a High Efficiency (HE) or an Extremely High Throughout (EHT) PPDU (Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0125] HE and EHT PPDUs).
Regarding Claim 9, Minotani discloses a method (Abstract; Figure 1-4, 7, 9 and 14) comprising:
transmitting, by an access point and to a first station (STA), a first frame indicating: the first STA is associated with a secondary downlink (DL) channel for transmission to the first STA (Figure 1, 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0046-0050] The A-PPDU is, for example, a signal including two or more PPDUs of a wireless standard after 11ax. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the A-PPDU is a signal including a PPDU corresponding to 11ax (for example, referred to as an HE PPDU) and a PPDU corresponding to 11be (for example, referred to as an EHT PPDU); The HE PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz including the primary channel (also referred to as a primary 80 MHz channel), and the EHT PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz not including the primary channel (also referred to as a secondary 80 MHz channel); Paragraph [0103-0107] in a case of transmitting the DL A-PPDU, AP 100 may notify each STA 200 (for example, the HE STA and the EHT STA) of the A-PPDU control information including the channel information for each STA 200 to receive the A-PPDU.);
receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Figure 7; Paragraph [0103-0107] , as illustrated in FIG. 7, upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, after receiving the response signals, AP 100 may transmit the DL A-PPDU. For example, AP 100 transmits the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the reception of the response signals, and, for example, each STA 200 may receive the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the transmission of the response signal);
and transmitting, based on the second frame and via at least the secondary DL channel, a PPDU (Figure 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0103-0107] each STA 200 may perform the reception process of the A-PPDU, based on the channel information notified by the A-PPDU control information; Paragraph [0118-0128] AP 100 may transmit the A-PPDU to the HE STA and the EHT STA at a timing within the period corresponding to the TXOP. As illustrated in FIG. 9, for example, AP 100 may transmit, to the HE STA and the EHT STA, a signal different from the DLA-PPDU (for example, the HE PPDU or the EHT PPDU) within the period of the TXOP. the EHT STA may decide the timing (or the period) of performing the reception process of a data signal (for example, the EHT PPDU) addressed to the EHT STA in a specific frequency resource (for example, the non-primary channel) for the A-PPDU, based on the A-PPDU control information. Accordingly, for example, the EHT STA can appropriately decide the timing of receiving the DL signal included in the DL A-PPDU in the non-primary channel, and can perform the reception process of the DL signal in an appropriate channel).
Prior art reference Minotani readily discloses transmission of a CTS or ACK acknowledgement signaling but may not explicitly disclose receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame.
However, the above limitation is known in the art as evidenced by Cherian. Cherian more specifically teaches receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Paragraph [0087 and 0113] Transmission of a MU-RTS trigger frame. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate, to the one or more identified STAs, time and frequency resources that can be used for uplink transmissions, downlink transmissions, or both. Although not shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity, each of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a frame (such as a CTS frame or an ACK frame) to acknowledge receipt of the MU-RTS trigger frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani with the teachings of Cherian. Cherian provides a solution which enables ensuring that peer-to-peer (P2P) communications can be handled in a manner that minimizes latency and satisfies any specified performance requirements. The method allows a wireless communication device operating an AP to receive the protection frame from the STAs belonging to the restricted TWT session that are permitted to transmit or receive P2P communications on the wireless channel during the TXOP (Cherian Abstract; Paragraph [0002-0015]).
Minotani in view of Cherian discloses transmitting a first frame by an access point to a first station with a secondary channel for A-PPDU transmission but may not explicitly disclose a first frame indicating: a first STA is associated with a secondary downlink (DL) channel.
However, Ding more specifically teaches a first frame indicating: a first STA is associated with a secondary downlink (DL) channel (Figure 5 and 29; Paragraph [0078] The bandwidth of a single PPDU of an A-PPDU may be equal to or larger than 80 MHz. One of the PPDU (e.g. HE PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the primary channel (e.g. Primary 80 MHZ (P80) channel,) and the other PPDU (e.g. EHT PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the secondary (non-primary) channel (e.g. Secondary 80 MHZ (S80) channel). Subchannel selective transmission (SST) scheme may be used to set up PPDU transmission over secondary 80/160 MHz channel prior to the A-PPDU transmission; Paragraph [0124-0125] an AP 2902 transmits a DL PPDU 2912 that carries HE NDP Announcement and EHT NDP Announcement frames to initiate an aggregated TB sounding procedure. The HE NDP Announcement frame is targeted at HE STAs and EHT STAs that are expected to transmit/receive an HE PPDU after the sounding procedure, whereas the EHT NDP Announcement frame is targeted at EHT STAs. After a SIFS, the AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively. Subsequently, the AP 2902/the non-AP STAs 2904, 2906 may transmit DL/UL A-PPDU containing an HE PPDU in the primary channel and an EHT PPDU in the secondary channel, respectively).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani in view of Cherian with the teachings of Ding. Ding provides a feasible technical solutions for aggregated signal sounding procedure in context of EHT WLAN. The apparatus allows an access point (AP) and a station to perform a sounding procedure to achieve good throughput gain with traffic from mixed generations of stations in large bandwidth, so that the apparatus defines aggregated physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDLJ) transmission in order to efficiently achieve better throughput gain in the EHT (Ding Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0012 and 0153]).
Regarding Claim 10, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose receiving, from the second STA, associated with a primary DL channel for transmission, a third frame that is based on the first frame (Minotani Figure 7. 9 and 14 First frame transmitting to both first and second station and each respective station transmitting a response back to the access point; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0125] After a SIFS, the AP 2902 transmits one or more DL PPDUs 2916 that carries different BFRP Trigger frames to STAs of different generation, i.e., HE BFRP TF to HE STAs 2904 and EHT BFRP TF to EHT STAs 2906, simultaneously to solicit Beamforming Report feedback from the STAs. After a SIFS, the solicited HE STAs 2904 and the EHT STAs 2906 in response transmit TB PPDUs containing corresponding Beamforming Report feedback, i.e., HE CBR/CQI frame and EHT CBR/CQI frame, simultaneously to the AP 2902).
Regarding Claim 11, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first frame comprises an indication of scheduling of the transmission (Minotani Paragraph [0063] AP 100 may schedule the transmission of the A-PPDU (S103). For example, AP 100 may select STA 200 to which the A-PPDU can be transmitted, based on the capability information acquired from each STA 200, and may perform scheduling, for example, allocate the RU, decide a spatial multiplexing method, or decide a modulation method. For example, in the scheduling, when the A-PPDU includes the PPDU for the HE STA, AP 100 may allocate the PPDU for the HE STA to the frequency resource including the primary channel; Ding Paragraph [0150]).
Regarding Claim 12, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first frame further indicates a third STA is associated with an additional secondary DL channel for transmission (Minotani Figure 14; Paragraph [0142]; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0125] announcement frame and EHT STAs parking on the secondary channel(s)).
Regarding Claim 13, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first frame comprises a multi-user request-to-send (MU-RTS) frame (Minotani Figure 10 and 14; Paragraph [0139-0147] In a case where the HE STA receives the MU-RTS transmitted from AP 100, the HE STA recognizes that the DL A-PPDU Present subfield is a Reserved subfield. Therefore, for example, the HE STA transmits the CTS to AP 100 in the frequency resource (Primary 160 MHz in FIG. 14) notified in the RU Allocation subfield. After the transmission of the CTS, for example, the HE STA may receive the HE PPDU included in the DL A-PPDU in the primary channel (in other words, the frequency resource used for the transmission of the CTS)).
Regarding Claim 14, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the second frame comprises a clear-to-send (CTS) frame (Minotani Figure 7; Paragraph [0103-0107] Upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information; Cherian Paragraph [0087]).
Regarding Claim 15, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 9. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the second frame comprises an acknowledgment (ACK) frame (Minotani Figure 7; Paragraph [0103-0107] Upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information; Cherian Paragraph [0087]).
Regarding Claim 16, Minotani discloses a method (Abstract; Figure 1-4, 7, 9 and 14), comprising:
receiving, by a first station (STA) and from an access point, a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission to the first STA (Figure 1, 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0046-0050] The A-PPDU is, for example, a signal including two or more PPDUs of a wireless standard after 11ax. For example, in the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the A-PPDU is a signal including a PPDU corresponding to 11ax (for example, referred to as an HE PPDU) and a PPDU corresponding to 11be (for example, referred to as an EHT PPDU); The HE PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz including the primary channel (also referred to as a primary 80 MHz channel), and the EHT PPDU is allocated to 80 MHz not including the primary channel (also referred to as a secondary 80 MHz channel); Paragraph [0103-0107] in a case of transmitting the DL A-PPDU, AP 100 may notify each STA 200 (for example, the HE STA and the EHT STA) of the A-PPDU control information including the channel information for each STA 200 to receive the A-PPDU.);
transmitting, to the access point, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Figure 7; Paragraph [0103-0107] , as illustrated in FIG. 7, upon receiving the DL A-PPDU, the HE STA and the EHT STA transmit the response signal (for example, the ACK or the CTS) to AP 100. Each STA 200 may transmit the response signal, for example, after a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) from the reception of the A-PPDU control information. In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 7, after receiving the response signals, AP 100 may transmit the DL A-PPDU. For example, AP 100 transmits the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the reception of the response signals, and, for example, each STA 200 may receive the DL A-PPDU after the SIFS from the transmission of the response signal);
and receiving, via at least the secondary channel, an A-PPDU comprising a first PPDU for the first STA (Figure 7, 9 and 14; Paragraph [0103-0107] each STA 200 may perform the reception process of the A-PPDU, based on the channel information notified by the A-PPDU control information; Paragraph [0118-0128] AP 100 may transmit the A-PPDU to the HE STA and the EHT STA at a timing within the period corresponding to the TXOP. As illustrated in FIG. 9, for example, AP 100 may transmit, to the HE STA and the EHT STA, a signal different from the DLA-PPDU (for example, the HE PPDU or the EHT PPDU) within the period of the TXOP. the EHT STA may decide the timing (or the period) of performing the reception process of a data signal (for example, the EHT PPDU) addressed to the EHT STA in a specific frequency resource (for example, the non-primary channel) for the A-PPDU, based on the A-PPDU control information. Accordingly, for example, the EHT STA can appropriately decide the timing of receiving the DL signal included in the DL A-PPDU in the non-primary channel, and can perform the reception process of the DL signal in an appropriate channel).
Prior art reference Minotani readily discloses transmission of a CTS or ACK acknowledgement signaling but may not explicitly disclose receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame.
However, the above limitation is known in the art as evidenced by Cherian. Cherian more specifically teaches receiving, from the first STA, a second frame indicating that the first STA has received the first frame (Paragraph [0087 and 0113] Transmission of a MU-RTS trigger frame. The MU-RTS trigger frame may also indicate a time period to which wireless communication devices not identified by the MU-RTS trigger frame are to set their respective NAVs. In some instances, the MU-RTS trigger frame may allocate, to the one or more identified STAs, time and frequency resources that can be used for uplink transmissions, downlink transmissions, or both. Although not shown in FIG. 7 for simplicity, each of STA1 and STA2 may transmit a frame (such as a CTS frame or an ACK frame) to acknowledge receipt of the MU-RTS trigger frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani with the teachings of Cherian. Cherian provides a solution which enables ensuring that peer-to-peer (P2P) communications can be handled in a manner that minimizes latency and satisfies any specified performance requirements. The method allows a wireless communication device operating an AP to receive the protection frame from the STAs belonging to the restricted TWT session that are permitted to transmit or receive P2P communications on the wireless channel during the TXOP (Cherian Abstract; Paragraph [0002-0015]).
Minotani in view of Cherian discloses transmitting a first frame by an access point to a first station with a secondary channel for A-PPDU transmission but may not explicitly disclose a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission.
However, Ding more specifically teaches a first frame indicating the first STA is associated with a secondary channel for aggregate physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDU) transmission (Figure 5 and 29; Paragraph [0078] The bandwidth of a single PPDU of an A-PPDU may be equal to or larger than 80 MHz. One of the PPDU (e.g. HE PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the primary channel (e.g. Primary 80 MHZ (P80) channel,) and the other PPDU (e.g. EHT PPDU in FIG. 5) may occupy the secondary (non-primary) channel (e.g. Secondary 80 MHZ (S80) channel). Subchannel selective transmission (SST) scheme may be used to set up PPDU transmission over secondary 80/160 MHz channel prior to the A-PPDU transmission; Paragraph [0124-0125] an AP 2902 transmits a DL PPDU 2912 that carries HE NDP Announcement and EHT NDP Announcement frames to initiate an aggregated TB sounding procedure. The HE NDP Announcement frame is targeted at HE STAs and EHT STAs that are expected to transmit/receive an HE PPDU after the sounding procedure, whereas the EHT NDP Announcement frame is targeted at EHT STAs. After a SIFS, the AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively. Subsequently, the AP 2902/the non-AP STAs 2904, 2906 may transmit DL/UL A-PPDU containing an HE PPDU in the primary channel and an EHT PPDU in the secondary channel, respectively).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani in view of Cherian with the teachings of Ding. Ding provides a feasible technical solutions for aggregated signal sounding procedure in context of EHT WLAN. The apparatus allows an access point (AP) and a station to perform a sounding procedure to achieve good throughput gain with traffic from mixed generations of stations in large bandwidth, so that the apparatus defines aggregated physical layer protocol data unit (A-PPDLJ) transmission in order to efficiently achieve better throughput gain in the EHT (Ding Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0012 and 0153]).
Regarding Claim 17, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 16. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the first frame further indicates a second STA is associated with a primary channel for A-PPDU transmission (Minotani Paragraph [0048-0051]; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0126] The AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively; That is the PPDU is transmitted via a primary channel to a second station utilizing a high efficiency PPDU).
Regarding Claim 18, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 16. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the A-PPDU further comprises a second PPDU for transmission, via the primary channel, to the second STA (Minotani Paragraph [0048-0051]; Ding Figure 29; Paragraph [0124-0126] The AP 2902 simultaneously transmits multiple aligned HE Sounding NDPs to non-AP STAs of different generations, in this case the HE STAs 2904 parking on the primary channel (P) and the EHT STAs 2906 parking on the secondary channel(S) respectively; That is the PPDU is transmitted via a primary channel to a second station utilizing a high efficiency PPDU).
Regarding Claim 20, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 16. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding further disclose wherein the second frame comprises a trigger-based (TB) PPDU (Ding Figure 3 and 29; Paragraph [0070, 0096-0103 and 0116-0117] To enable uplink MU transmissions, trigger-based communication is provided to the MIMO wireless network. PPDUs used for trigger-based uplink transmissions if the communication apparatus 1800 is an AP, and for example or PPDUs used for trigger-based downlink transmissions if the communication apparatus 1800 is a STA).
Claims 5 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding as applied to claim 1 and 16 above, and further in view of Min et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2018/0184409, hereinafter Min.
Regarding Claim 5 and 19, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1 and 16. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding fail to explicitly disclose wherein the first frame comprises a trigger frame and a downlink announcement frame.
However, Min more specifically teaches wherein the first frame comprises a trigger frame and a downlink announcement frame (Abstract; Paragraph [0029 and 0158-0159] The 802.11ax Trigger Frame conveys information for solicited MU UL OFDM(A) transmission information. A full-duplex-capable AP 204 can initiate another DL frame transmission(s) during the UL transmission 212, as shown in FIG. 2. However, non-UL-solicited STAs (including STA E) may enter low-power sleep state right after a Trigger Frame reception, and thus cannot receive the full-duplex DL transmission from the AP, as shown in FIG. 2 (208). Therefore, to enable OFDMA-based full-duplex communication, the AP needs to explicitly announce both scheduled UL and DL transmission(s) in the Trigger Frame).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding with the teachings of Min. The device enables an access point (AP) to use different MCSs for A-MPDU sub-frames to better utilize wireless spectrum resources and improve throughput performance for full-duplex OFDMA communications. The device exploits asymmetric uplink and downlink transmission durations to adaptively change transmission configurations, so that the AP can better utilize wireless spectrum and reduce total transmission time without worrying about downlink performance degradation due to interference from uplink transmissions (Min Abstract; Paragraph [0001-0006]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Park et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2025/0300779, hereinafter Park.
Regarding Claim 7, Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose the method of Claim 1. Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding disclose extremely high throughput PPDUs but fail to disclose wherein the first PPDU is an Ultra High Reliability (UHR) PPDU.
However, Park teaches wherein the first PPDU is an Ultra High Reliability (UHR) PPDU (Paragraph [0004 and 0198-0211] new technologies are being discussed to support ultra high reliability (UHR), including improvements or extensions to EHT technology).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Minotani in view of Cherian and Ding with the teachings of Park. Park provides a solution which enables supporting the transmission and reception of a current version of PPDU and/or merged PPDU based on the trigger frame, reducing latency and improving throughput and PPDU transmission and reception efficiency (Park Abstract; Paragraph [0002-0013]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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IVAN O. LATORRE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2409
/IVAN O LATORRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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