DETAILED ACTION
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 1-3, 6-8, 13-16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Stacey et al. (US-PGPUB 2020/0221545).
Regarding claim 1, Stacey teaches a communication method, performed by an access point (AP) supporting multi-link (ML) communication, the method comprising: determining a first message frame, wherein the first message frame comprises a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element in response to a condition related to ML communication being satisfied [Para 104, RNR frame is encoded in multi-link communication]; and sending the first message frame on a first link among multiple links [Para 104, RNR frame which is in the first message is transmitted].
Regarding claims 2, 7 and 15, Stacey teaches at least one of: setting an RNR execution primitive for co-located APs working on different links simultaneously or in a time division multiplexing manner to a specific value; or carrying an ML element in the first message frame [Para 104-105, ML elements are transmitted in the message frame].
Regarding claims 3, 8 and 16, Stacey teaches an AP beacon interval information identifier on each of other links than the first link among the multiple links [Para 183, beacon interval information is included RNR].
Regarding claim 6, Stacey teaches a communication method, performed by a station (STA) supporting multi-link (ML) communication, the method comprising: receiving a first message frame on a first link among multiple links, wherein the first message frame comprises a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element in response to a condition related to ML communication being satisfied [Para 104, RNR frame is encoded in multi-link communication]; and performing a communication operation based on the first message frame [Para 104, RNR frame which is in the first message is transmitted].
Regarding claim 13, Stacey teaches an access point (AP) supporting multi-link (ML) communication, comprising: a processor [Fig. 6, 602]; and a memory storing a computer program executable by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to: determine a first message frame, wherein the first message frame comprises a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element in response to a condition related to ML communication being satisfied [Para 104, RNR frame is encoded in multi-link communication]; and send the first message frame on a first link among multiple links [Para 104, RNR frame which is in the first message is transmitted].
Regarding claims 14 and 20, Stacey teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method according to claims 1 and 6 are performed [Fig. 6, 616].
Regarding claim 19, Stacey teaches a station supporting multi-link (ML) communication, comprising: a processor [Fig. 6, 602]; and a memory storing a computer program executable by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 6 [Fig. 6, 616].
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 5, 10 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stacey et al. (US-PGPUB 2020/0221545) in view of Chu et al. (USPN 11,601,999).
Regarding claims 5, 10 and 18, Stacey teaches a method and an AP as discussed in rejection of claims 1, 6 and 13.
However, Stacey does not teach timing synchronization parameter information, wherein the timing synchronization parameter information is used for timing synchronization of the multiple links.
Chu teaches timing synchronization parameter information, wherein the timing synchronization parameter information is used for timing synchronization of the multiple links [Col. 11, lines 41-53, timing synchronization parameter is communicated for synchronized communication of multiple links].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention communicate timing synchronization parameter so that the devices can listen to channels at specific intervals.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu (US-PGPUB 2023/0403638) teaches setting real-time radio frequency (RNR) information that comprises logical redundancy check (MLD) parameter. The MLD parameter is provided with field MLD identification (ID), link ID and change sequence. A message containing RNR information is sent to terminal. The operation is executed according to MLD parameter in message after the terminal receives the message.
Kwon et al. (US-PGPUB 2021/0368419) teaches generating a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element, where the RNR element includes multi-link operation (MLO) information of a neighboring wireless device such as an access point, to a reporting wireless device. A multilink (ML) element is generated, and the ML element includes basic service set (BSS) information of the wireless device affiliated to a particular MLD.
Wu (USPN 8,989,105) teaches establishing multiple links corresponding to multiple component carriers by a radio resource control procedure. Random access procedure is performed for synchronization of one link.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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