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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on August 18, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 8 and 17 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1, 7, 8, 17, 18, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 2021/0100053, Park hereafter.
RE claims 1, 17 and 18, Park discloses a communication method, electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor, and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions (Figures 1C and 3, AP MLD, Figure 10 being a component diagram for a device implementing the methods of Park) comprising: determining a first message frame that includes information that at least one link of multi-links is to be switched to an awake state for multi-link communication; and sending the first message frame; wherein the information includes a power management identifier that is set to a first value to indicate that the at least one link being enabled but in a power save (PS) mode is to be switched to the awake state, and the information includes a link identifier corresponding to the at least one link (Paragraphs 25-30 teaches a system comprised of a Access Point Multi Link Device, or AP MLD, and a non-AP MLD. A connection is established between them over a plurality of links. The paragraphs cited teach that a bitmap may be exchanged between them whereby each link has a Link ID assigned and the bit position of the bitmap maps to each link. The bits indicate whether the mode of the link is “active” or in a “power management mode”. Paragraph 27 discloses “There are two power mode modes of operation, 1) active mode and 2) power management mode. In the active mode, the device is always in the awake state. However, in the power management mode, the device can be in the awake state or in the doze state. The device can switch between the active mode and the power management mode. Once the device is in the power management mode, the device can have a power state either awake state (active, power on) or doze state (asleep, power off).” Based on the distinctions here, the active mode merely means the link is not set to enter a power save mode. Power management mode however means the link is still active/enabled, but allowed to be periodically dozed and awakened to save power. The link itself is not released in any way. Per paragraphs 28-29, the bitmap both indicates to each MLD what the mode of each link is and any change to the bit value in each position is used to direct the other to change the mode of the link. Figure 6 is an example of the bitmap.)
RE claims 8 and 22, Park discloses a communication method on multi-links, and an electronic device, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions executable by the processor (Figures 1C and 3, Non-AP MLD, Figure 10 being a component diagram for a device implementing the methods of Park), wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions comprising: receiving a first message frame that includes information that at least one link of multi-links is to be switched to an awake state for multi-link communication; and performing a communication operation based on the first message frame; wherein the information includes a power management identifier that is set to a first value to indicate that the at least one link being enabled but in a power save (PS) mode is to be switched to the awake state, and the information includes a link identifier corresponding to the at least one link (Paragraphs 25-30 teaches a system comprised of a Access Point Multi Link Device, or AP MLD, and a non-AP MLD. A connection is established between them over a plurality of links. The paragraphs cited teach that a bitmap may be exchanged between them whereby each link has a Link ID assigned and the bit position of the bitmap maps to each link. The bits indicate whether the mode of the link is “active” or in a “power management mode”. Paragraph 27 discloses “There are two power mode modes of operation, 1) active mode and 2) power management mode. In the active mode, the device is always in the awake state. However, in the power management mode, the device can be in the awake state or in the doze state. The device can switch between the active mode and the power management mode. Once the device is in the power management mode, the device can have a power state either awake state (active, power on) or doze state (asleep, power off).” Based on the distinctions here, the active mode merely means the link is not set to enter a power save mode. Power management mode however means the link is still active/enabled, but allowed to be periodically dozed and awakened to save power. The link itself is not released in any way. Per paragraphs 28-29, the bitmap both indicates to each MLD what the mode of each link is and any change to the bit value in each position is used to direct the other to change the mode of the link. Figure 6 is an example of the bitmap.).
RE claims 7 and 21, Park discloses the communication method of claim 1 and electronic device of claim 17 as set forth above. Note that Park further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: send a third message frame that includes information that a link in the awake state in the at least one link is to enter into the PS mode (Paragraphs 25-30 teaches a system comprised of a Access Point Multi Link Device, or AP MLD, and a non-AP MLD. A connection is established between them over a plurality of links. The paragraphs cited teach that a bitmap may be exchanged between them whereby each link has a Link ID assigned and the bit position of the bitmap maps to each link. The bits indicate whether the mode of the link is “active” or in a “power management mode”. Paragraph 27 discloses “There are two power mode modes of operation, 1) active mode and 2) power management mode. In the active mode, the device is always in the awake state. However, in the power management mode, the device can be in the awake state or in the doze state. The device can switch between the active mode and the power management mode. Once the device is in the power management mode, the device can have a power state either awake state (active, power on) or doze state (asleep, power off).” Based on the distinctions here, the active mode merely means the link is not set to enter a power save mode. Power management mode however means the link is still active/enabled, but allowed to be periodically dozed and awakened to save power. The link itself is not released in any way. Per paragraphs 28-29, the bitmap both indicates to each MLD what the mode of each link is and any change to the bit value in each position is used to direct the other to change the mode of the link. Figure 6 is an example of the bitmap.).
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.
Claims 4, 11 and 19 and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Hsu et al. (US 2020/0163141, cited on the IDS filed November 09, 2023, Hsu hereafter).
RE claims 4, 11 and 19, Park discloses the communication methods of claims 1 and 11, and the electronic device of claim 17 as set forth above. Park does not explicitly disclose wherein the information includes a delay identifier; wherein the delay identifier is configured to identify a delay for a device under the at least one link to switch to an awake state.
However, Park Hsu teaches wherein the information includes a delay identifier (Paragraph 40 discloses that following the request by the STA, “The AP updates the operational parameters of the link and after a delay 275, AP and STA can transmit over the enabled link. The delay 275 can be the delay initially negotiated between the AP and the STA, or a new delay identified in the updated operational parameters carried in the request frame 265. The frame exchange 250 described above is transmitted over an enabled link 255 associated with the AP and the STA.”); wherein the delay identifier is configured to identify a delay for a device under the at least one link to switch to an awake state (Paragraph 40 discloses that following the request by the STA, “The AP updates the operational parameters of the link and after a delay 275, AP and STA can transmit over the enabled link. The delay 275 can be the delay initially negotiated between the AP and the STA, or a new delay identified in the updated operational parameters carried in the request frame 265. The frame exchange 250 described above is transmitted over an enabled link 255 associated with the AP and the STA.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the methods and device of Park with the teachings of Hsu in order to provide for scheduling a future power mode change.
Claims 5, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Hsu and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2023/0103810, Kim hereafter).
RE claims 5, 12 and 20, Park in view of Hsu discloses the communication methods of claims 1 and 12, and electronic device of claim 17 as set forth above. Note that Park in view of Hsu further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a second message frame from an access point that supports multi-link communication when the first message frame is sent by a station that supports multi-link communication ((Paragraph 40-41, STA may initiate activation or deactivation of a given link via a frame exchange. The STA generates and transmits a request frame to the AP to either enable or disable a link. The AP enables or disables the link and replies to the request with a response frame indicating the same.),
Park in view of Hsu does not explicitly disclose wherein the second message frame includes information that a link is to be switched to an awake state recommended by the access point based on a communication environment.
However, Park in view of Hsu teaches wherein the second message frame includes information that a link is to be switched to an awake state recommended by the access point based on a communication environment (Paragraph 315-316 teaches a Multi-Link Device AP and STA whereby the AP transmits an information element “recommend link” that is “an element or field that enables the AP MLD to recommend a link that is most appropriate to an STA of the non-AP MLD, based on various information per link (e.g., data load per link, and so on). For example, the recommend link (element/field) may be indicated as link ID information of the AP MLD or AP BSS information, and so on. In other words, the recommend link (element/field) may include link ID information of the AP MLD or AP BSS information, and so on.”)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the methods and device of Park in view of Hsu with the teachings of Kim in order to provide for the best performing link when managing the power state of links in a MLD AP-STA system.
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park in view of Hsu, in view of Kim, and further in view of Xing (US 2017/0171811).
RE claims 6 and 13, Park in view of Hsu, and further in view of Kim disclose the communication methods of claims 5 and 12 as set forth above. Note that Kim further teaches wherein the communication environment includes at least one of a load situation (Paragraph 315-316 teaches a Multi-Link Device AP and STA whereby the AP transmits an information element “recommend link” that is “an element or field that enables the AP MLD to recommend a link that is most appropriate to an STA of the non-AP MLD, based on various information per link (e.g., data load per link, and so on). For example, the recommend link (element/field) may be indicated as link ID information of the AP MLD or AP BSS information, and so on. In other words, the recommend link (element/field) may include link ID information of the AP MLD or AP BSS information, and so on.”).
Hsu in view of Kim does not explicitly disclose wherein the communication environment includes an access delay.
However, Xing teaches wherein the communication environment includes an access delay (Claims 9 and 13 teach an AP/link selection based upon QoS requirements of a STA and the suitability of a given available AP/link to meet those needs. Among these QoS requirements is average channel access delay).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the methods and device of Park in view of Hsu, and further in view of Kim with the teachings of Xing in order to provide for the best performing link when presented with multiple candidate links.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James P Duffy whose telephone number is (571)270-7516. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Friday, 9am-6pm EST.
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, Huy D Vu can be reached at 571-272-3155. 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.
/James P Duffy/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
Prosecution Insights