DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 30-32, 34-38, 40-44, 46, and 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US 2024/0015209).
Regarding claim 30: Lee discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a first electronic device (electronic device 102, for example), a first request message (see the request operation schedule change in step 507, for example), wherein the first electronic device establishes a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct link with a second electronic device (electronic device 101, for example), the first electronic device is a group owner (GO) of Wi-Fi Direct, the second electronic device is a group client (GC) of Wi-Fi Direct (disclosed throughout; see [0137], for example (“in operation 501, the processor 120 of the electronic device 101 may perform wireless communication with the external electronic device 102 – that is, the group owner – as a group client within a direct communication group in which the external electronic device 102 operates as the group owner through a Wi-Fi direct connection with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2)”)), and the first request message is used to trigger the first electronic device to enable Wi-Fi link sleep (disclosed throughout; see [0167], for example, which indicates “…the operation schedule information may be configured to change the communication channel of the direct communication group to an inactive state (e.g., sleep) for at least a specified period of time”);
sending, by the first electronic device, a first message to the second electronic device (disclosed throughout; see the operation schedule information in step 511 of Figure 5, for example; as indicated in [0169], “a message including operation schedule information received from the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner may include a schedule notification attribute (e.g., notice of absence attribute)… the schedule notification attribute may be transmitted to the electronic device 101 that is a group client through a beacon frame and a probe response frame transmitted by the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner, and/or a separate notice of absence frame”), wherein the first message comprises at least one of a sleep interval count, a sleep start time, an absent period, or a sleep interval, the sleep interval count indicates a quantity of times the Wi-Fi link enters a sleep window in a current sleep process, the Wi-Fi link does not perform data transmission in the sleep window, the sleep start time indicates a start moment at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window for a first time in the current sleep process, the absent period indicates duration in which the Wi-Fi link remains in the sleep window in the current sleep process, and the sleep interval indicates a time interval at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window in the current sleep process (disclosed throughout; see [0170], which indicates “FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a message including operation schedule information of the group owner”; further, as indicated in [0172 and Figures 12A and 12B, the message comprises at least: “a count/type field 1206” (i.e. a sleep interval count), “a duration field 1207” (i.e. an absent period), “an interval field 1208” (i.e. a sleep interval) “and/or a start time 1209” (i.e. a sleep start time)); and
entering, by the first electronic device, a Wi-Fi link sleep state based on at least one of the sleep interval count, the sleep start time, the absent period, or the sleep interval (disclosed throughout; see 513 of Figure 5, for example).
Regarding claim 36: Lee discloses a method, comprising:
sending, by a second electronic device (electronic device 101, for example), a first request message (see the request operation schedule change in step 507, for example) to a first electronic device (electronic device 102, for example), wherein the second electronic device establishes a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct link with the first electronic device, the first electronic device is a group owner (GO) of Wi-Fi Direct, the second electronic device is a group client (GC) of Wi-Fi Direct (disclosed throughout; see [0137], for example (“in operation 501, the processor 120 of the electronic device 101 may perform wireless communication with the external electronic device 102 – that is, the group owner – as a group client within a direct communication group in which the external electronic device 102 operates as the group owner through a Wi-Fi direct connection with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2)”)), and the first request message is used to trigger the first electronic device to enable Wi-Fi link sleep (disclosed throughout; see [0167], for example, which indicates “…the operation schedule information may be configured to change the communication channel of the direct communication group to an inactive state (e.g., sleep) for at least a specified period of time”);
receiving, by the second electronic device, a first message (disclosed throughout; see the operation schedule information in step 511 of Figure 5, for example; as indicated in [0169], “a message including operation schedule information received from the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner may include a schedule notification attribute (e.g., notice of absence attribute)… the schedule notification attribute may be transmitted to the electronic device 101 that is a group client through a beacon frame and a probe response frame transmitted by the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner, and/or a separate notice of absence frame”), wherein the first message comprises at least one of a sleep interval count, a sleep start time, an absent period, or a sleep interval, the sleep interval count indicates a quantity of times the Wi-Fi link enters a sleep window in a current sleep process, the Wi-Fi link does not perform data transmission in the sleep window, the sleep start time indicates a start moment at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window for a first time in the current sleep process, the absent period indicates duration in which the Wi-Fi link remains in the sleep window in the current sleep process, and the sleep interval indicates a time interval at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window in the current sleep process (disclosed throughout; see [0170], which indicates “FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a message including operation schedule information of the group owner”; further, as indicated in [0172 and Figures 12A and 12B, the message comprises at least: “a count/type field 1206” (i.e. a sleep interval count), “a duration field 1207” (i.e. an absent period), “an interval field 1208” (i.e. a sleep interval) “and/or a start time 1209” (i.e. a sleep start time)); and
entering, by the second electronic device, a Wi-Fi link sleep state based on at least one of the sleep interval count, the sleep start time, the absent period, or the sleep interval (disclosed throughout; see 513 of Figure 5, for example).
Regarding claim 42: Lee discloses an electronic device, wherein the electronic device is a first electronic device (electronic device 102, for example), the first electronic device establishes a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct link with a second electronic device (electronic device 101, for example), the first electronic device is a group owner (GO) of Wi-Fi Direct, and the second electronic device is a group client (GC) of Wi-Fi Direct (disclosed throughout; see [0137], for example (“in operation 501, the processor 120 of the electronic device 101 may perform wireless communication with the external electronic device 102 – that is, the group owner – as a group client within a direct communication group in which the external electronic device 102 operates as the group owner through a Wi-Fi direct connection with an external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2)”)), the electronic device comprising:
at least one processor (see processor 120, of Figure 1, for example); and
at least one memory, wherein the at least one memory stores one or more computer programs, the one or more computer programs comprise instructions, and when the instructions are executed by the at least one processor, the electronic device is enabled to perform operations comprising (see memory 130 of Figure 1 and [0048], for example):
receiving a first request message (see the request operation schedule change in step 507, for example), wherein the first request message is used to trigger the first electronic device to enable Wi-Fi link sleep (disclosed throughout; see [0167], for example, which indicates “…the operation schedule information may be configured to change the communication channel of the direct communication group to an inactive state (e.g., sleep) for at least a specified period of time”);
sending a first message to the second electronic device (disclosed throughout; see the operation schedule information in step 511 of Figure 5, for example; as indicated in [0169], “a message including operation schedule information received from the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner may include a schedule notification attribute (e.g., notice of absence attribute)… the schedule notification attribute may be transmitted to the electronic device 101 that is a group client through a beacon frame and a probe response frame transmitted by the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner, and/or a separate notice of absence frame”), wherein the first message comprises at least one of a sleep interval count, a sleep start time, an absent period, or a sleep interval, the sleep interval count indicates a quantity of times the Wi-Fi link enters a sleep window in a current sleep process, the Wi-Fi link does not perform data transmission in the sleep window, the sleep start time indicates a start moment at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window for a first time in the current sleep process, the absent period indicates duration in which the Wi-Fi link remains in the sleep window in the current sleep process, and the sleep interval indicates a time interval at which the Wi-Fi link enters the sleep window in the current sleep process (disclosed throughout; see [0170], which indicates “FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams illustrating a structure of a message including operation schedule information of the group owner”; further, as indicated in [0172 and Figures 12A and 12B, the message comprises at least: “a count/type field 1206” (i.e. a sleep interval count), “a duration field 1207” (i.e. an absent period), “an interval field 1208” (i.e. a sleep interval) “and/or a start time 1209” (i.e. a sleep start time)); and
entering a Wi-Fi link sleep state based on at least one of the sleep interval count, the sleep start time, the absent period, or the sleep interval (disclosed throughout; see 513 of Figure 5, for example).
Regarding claims 31, 37, and 43: Lee discloses the limitation that the first request message is a link layer message or a service layer message (disclosed throughout; see the P2P presence request frame; as shown in Figure 10 and [0159], this is a link layer management (action) frame).
Regarding claims 32, 38, and 44: Lee discloses the limitations that the link layer message is a first management frame (disclosed throughout; see the P2P presence request frame; as shown in Figure 10 and [0159], this is a link layer management (action) frame).
Regarding claims 34, 40, and 46: Lee discloses the limitation that the first message is a first beacon frame, and the sleep interval count is greater than 0 (disclosed throughout; see [0165] (“the message including operation schedule information transmitted from the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner may be received through a beacon frame”) and Figure 12B, which indicates that the value of the count can be 1-255).
Regarding claims 35, 41, and 47: Lee discloses the limitation that sending, by the first electronic device, the first message to the second electronic device comprises: sending, by the first electronic device, the first message to the second electronic device in a next beacon frame interval after the first request message is received (disclosed throughout; see [0165] (“the message including operation schedule information transmitted from the external electronic device 102 that is the group owner may be received through a beacon frame”); see also Figure 13, which indicates that the beacon may be the next beacon frame interval after the first request message is received in the beacon 1301 transmitted in the next interval (TBTT) after receiving a message that can indicate a requested schedule change).
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 33, 39, and 45 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US 2024/0015209) in view of Jung et al (US 2022/0086763).
Regarding claims 33, 39, and 45: Lee discloses the limitations of claims 30, 36, and 42 as indicated above. Lee is silent regarding the limitation that the service layer message is a screen projection suspension request message, and the screen projection suspension request message is used to request to suspend transmission of wireless projection data. However, Jung discloses analogous art for reducing power consumption in a network using WiFi direct (see title, abstract). Further, discloses that the devices may exchange signaling to change channel attributes when an event associated with power saving occurs (see [0062]-[0063] and Figure 5, for example). The event triggering the change of channel attributes and associated with power change may be related to “screen mirroring” between the devices and may be when a “screen of a display…changes from an on-state to an off-state” indicating that the application “pauses” or suspends. Further, the message may be a “generic advertisement service frame” as indicated in [0065]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Lee such that the schedule change is indicated via a screen projection request service message in response to determining to suspend screen mirroring or the transmission of wireless projection data as suggested by Jung. The rationale for doing so would have been to increase the opportunities for power saving in the devices by expanding the state and schedule changes to include screen mirroring pauses as well as to increase the flexibility of signaling by using a service frame in addition to a management/action frame.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jung et al (US 2017/0245174) discloses a method for transmitting and receiving data using WiFi direct for mirroring data.
Vedantham et al (US 2013/0028156) discloses a method for access category based power saving for a WiFi direct group owner.
Desai et al (US 2012/0158981) discloses a method for quickly joining a peer to peer group with a power saving mode.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert C Scheibel whose telephone number is (571)272-3169. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Hassan A Phillips can be reached at 571-272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
Robert C. Scheibel
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2467
/Robert C Scheibel/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467 February 10, 2026