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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/04/24, 12/27/24, 06/11/25 & 12/22/25 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 12 recites “and receiving the target radio frame comprises at least one of:
receiving a respective target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with an access point; receiving radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the access point;
wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.” which recites two options, the first option corresponding to limitations reciting “receiving a respective target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with an access point” and the second option corresponding to limitations reciting “receiving radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the access point;
wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.” but fails to recite coordinating conjunction terms of either “and” or “or” in between the different options.
As the use of the coordinating conjunction “and” results in a different interpretation of the claimed limitations when using the coordinating conjunction “or”, the claims are therefore rendered indefinite as it is unclear to the examiner as to which coordinating conjunction terms is intended by the applicant.
A review of applicants claim 5 and claim 24 shows similar limitations that recite the coordinating conjunction “or” in between the two options and as such, for the purpose of examination, the examiner will interpret the claim to use “or” in between the two different options (i.e. “and receiving the target radio frame comprises at least one of: receiving a respective target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with an access point; or receiving radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the access point; wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.”).
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 7-9, 11, 13, 18, 20-21 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon et al. (US Patent Publication 2022/0132419 herein after referenced as Kwon).
Regarding claim 1 and claim 18, Kwon discloses:
A signal processing method, performed by an access point device, comprising: and An access point device, comprising: a processor; and a memory having a computer program executable by the processor stored thereon, wherein the processor is configured to: sending a target radio frame, (Kwon, [0050] discloses the management frame may be a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a (re)association response frame, etc. and the management frame may be transmitted (i.e. reads on sending a target radio frame) by an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD on a link via an AP (i.e. reads on performed by an access point device) of the AP MLD, and received by the non-AP MLD from the AP MLD via a non-AP STA of the non-AP MLD; Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD; Kwon, [0044] discloses an AP includes at least one controller and the at least one controller may be implemented in a device that includes a processor; Kwon, [0095]-[0096] discloses the methods described herein may be implemented using software instructions stored on a computer useable storage medium for execution by a computer and discloses examples of non-transitory computer-useable and computer-readable storage media include a random-access memory RAM, a read-only memory ROM, etc.. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it is inherent for a complex device such as an AP or STA to include a processor, memory and instructions in order to be able to perform the disclosed functionalities).
Kwon discloses in one embodiment that an AP MLD sends a management frame to a non-AP MLD but fails to explicitly disclose the information that is included in the management frame and therefore fails to disclose in the same embodiment, the limitations of “wherein the target radio frame comprises a restricted target wake time (rTWT) element and a quiet element corresponding to the rTWT element.”
In a different embodiment, Kwon discloses:
wherein the target radio frame comprises a restricted target wake time (rTWT) element and a quiet element corresponding to the rTWT element (Kwon, [0057] discloses a management frame indicating and/or including (i.e. reads on the target radio frame comprises) a Channel Switch Announcement CSA element, an extended CSA eCSA element, a Quiet element (i.e. reads on a quiet element), a Quiet Channel element, and/or an insertion or a Target Wake Time TWT element that includes a restricted access service period SP (i.e. reads on a rTWT); Kwon, [0084] discloses the Quiet element (i.e. reads on quiet element) is included in a beacon frame transmitted by an AP of an AP MLD on a link where a restricted TWT (i.e. reads on corresponding to the rTWT element) is established; Kwon, [0086] discloses a Quiet element may be included in a management frame on a first link with scheduling information of a restricted SP for a first AP of an AP MLD and the Quiet element may be used to protect the restricted SP from being accessed by non-AP STAs of a non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD that do not support the restricted SP).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of the different embodiments for the purpose of conforming to the intent of the invention to modify and combine the various different embodiment (Kwon, [0039]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of an embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of a similar embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD with additional and/or alternative features and functionalities of the other embodiments as taught by Kwon) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of an embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD (i.e. as taught by Kwon) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 2 and claim 21, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1) and The access point device according to claim 18 (see claim 18).
wherein the target radio frame comprises one at least one of: (Kwon, [0084] discloses the Quiet element is included in a beacon frame transmitted by an AP of an AP MLD on a link where a restricted TWT is established; Kwon, [0086] discloses a Quiet element may be included in a management frame on a first link with scheduling information of a restricted SP for a first AP of an AP MLD and the Quiet element may be used to protect the restricted SP from being accessed by non-AP STAs of a non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD that do not support the restricted SP; Kwon, [0057] discloses a management frame indicating and/or including a Channel Switch Announcement CSA element, an extended CSA eCSA element, a Quiet element, a Quiet Channel element, and/or an insertion or a Target Wake Time TWT element that includes a restricted access service period SP. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “or more” and “in the target radio frame, a first ranking order of a first quiet element of the one or more quiet elements is same as a second ranking order of a first rTWT element of the one or more rTWT elements;” and “or the one or more quiet elements each comprises a time offset value; wherein a second rTWT element carrying a time offset subfield, the time offset subfield comprising a target time offset value of a target quiet element corresponding to the second rTWT element”) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Regarding claim 4 and claim 23, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1) and The access point device according to claim 18 (see claim 18).
wherein the access point device comprises a (Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “single-link device or”) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Regarding claim 7, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1).
wherein the target radio frame comprises at least one of a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a multi-link (ML) probe response frame, an association response frame, and a reassociation response frame (Kwon, [0050] discloses the management frame may be a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a (re)association response frame, etc.; Kwon, [0058] discloses a multi-link ML element included in a management frame).
Regarding claim 8, Kwon discloses:
A signal processing method, performed by a station, comprising: receiving a target radio frame, (Kwon, [0050] discloses the management frame may be a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a (re)association response frame, etc. and the management frame may be transmitted (i.e. reads on receiving a target radio frame) by an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD on a link via an AP of the AP MLD, and received by the non-AP MLD from the AP MLD via a non-AP STA (i.e. reads on performed by a station) of the non-AP MLD; Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD).
Kwon discloses in one embodiment that an AP MLD sends a management frame to a non-AP MLD but fails to explicitly disclose the information that is included in the management frame and therefore fails to disclose in the same embodiment, the limitations of “wherein the target radio frame comprises a restricted target wake time (rTWT) element and a quiet element corresponding to the rTWT element.”
In a different embodiment, Kwon discloses:
wherein the target radio frame comprises a restricted target wake time (rTWT) element and a quiet element corresponding to the rTWT element (Kwon, [0057] discloses a management frame indicating and/or including (i.e. reads on the target radio frame comprises) a Channel Switch Announcement CSA element, an extended CSA eCSA element, a Quiet element (i.e. reads on a quiet element), a Quiet Channel element, and/or an insertion or a Target Wake Time TWT element that includes a restricted access service period SP (i.e. reads on a rTWT); Kwon, [0084] discloses the Quiet element (i.e. reads on quiet element) is included in a beacon frame transmitted by an AP of an AP MLD on a link where a restricted TWT (i.e. reads on corresponding to the rTWT element) is established; Kwon, [0086] discloses a Quiet element may be included in a management frame on a first link with scheduling information of a restricted SP for a first AP of an AP MLD and the Quiet element may be used to protect the restricted SP from being accessed by non-AP STAs of a non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD that do not support the restricted SP).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of the different embodiments for the purpose of conforming to the intent of the invention to modify and combine the various different embodiment (Kwon, [0039]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of an embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of a similar embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD with additional and/or alternative features and functionalities of the other embodiments as taught by Kwon) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of an embodiment of transmitting a management frame from an AP MLD to a non-AP MLD (i.e. as taught by Kwon) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 9, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 8, (see claim 8).
wherein the target radio frame comprises one at least one of: (Kwon, [0084] discloses the Quiet element is included in a beacon frame transmitted by an AP of an AP MLD on a link where a restricted TWT is established; Kwon, [0086] discloses a Quiet element may be included in a management frame on a first link with scheduling information of a restricted SP for a first AP of an AP MLD and the Quiet element may be used to protect the restricted SP from being accessed by non-AP STAs of a non-AP MLD associated with the AP MLD that do not support the restricted SP; Kwon, [0057] discloses a management frame indicating and/or including a Channel Switch Announcement CSA element, an extended CSA eCSA element, a Quiet element, a Quiet Channel element, and/or an insertion or a Target Wake Time TWT element that includes a restricted access service period SP. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “or more” and “in the target radio frame, a first ranking order of a first quiet element of the one or more quiet elements is same as a second ranking order of a first rTWT element of the one or more rTWT elements;” and “or the one or more quiet elements each comprises a time offset value; wherein a second rTWT element carrying a time offset subfield, the time offset subfield comprising a target time offset value of a target quiet element corresponding to the second rTWT element”) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Regarding claim 11, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 8, (see claim 8).
wherein the station comprises a (Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “single-link device or”) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Regarding claim 13, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 8, (see claim 8).
wherein the target radio frame comprises at least one of a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a multi-link (ML) probe response frame, an association response frame, and a reassociation response frame (Kwon, [0050] discloses the management frame may be a beacon frame, a probe response frame, a (re)association response frame, etc.; Kwon, [0058] discloses a multi-link ML element included in a management frame).
Regarding claim 20, Kwon discloses:
A station, comprising: a processor; and a memory having a computer program executable by the processor stored thereon, (Kwon, [0046] discloses each STA includes at least one controller and the at least one controller may be implemented within a processor; Kwon, [0095]-[0096] discloses the methods described herein may be implemented using software instructions stored on a computer useable storage medium for execution by a computer and discloses examples of non-transitory computer-useable and computer-readable storage media include a random-access memory RAM, a read-only memory ROM, etc.).
wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 8 (see claim 8).
Claim(s) 3, 5, 10, 12, 22 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon et al. (US Patent Publication 2022/0132419 herein after referenced as Kwon) in view of LU et al. (US Patent Publication 2023/0413331 herein after referenced as Lu).
Regarding claim 3 and claim 10 and claim 22, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1) and The signal processing method according to claim 8 (see claim 8) and The access point device according to claim 18 (see claim 18).
Kwon discloses sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element but fails to explicitly disclose what is included in the rTWT element and therefore fails to disclose “wherein the rTWT element comprises at least one of first indication information and second indication information; wherein the first indication information indicates that a service corresponding to the target radio frame comprises a low latency service; the second indication information indicates that the service corresponding to the target radio frame comprises an uplink service or a downlink service.”
In a related field of endeavor, Lu discloses:
wherein the rTWT element comprises at least one of first indication information and second indication information; wherein the first indication information indicates that a service corresponding to the target radio frame comprises a low latency service; the second indication information indicates that the service corresponding to the target radio frame comprises an uplink service or a downlink service (Lu, [0116] discloses the R-TWT DL/UL TID Bitmap subfields in the R-TWT Traffic Info field are set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the downlink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield and the Restricted TWT UL TID Bitmap subfield is set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the uplink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield; Lu, Fig. 7B & [0114] discloses a second format of a Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field of an R-TWT element with TID-to-Link mapping information according to some embodiments of the invention and the Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field further includes a Link ID Bitmap field and a R-TWT Traffic Info field; Lu, [0133] discloses the R-TWT Element, R-TWT SP Quiet Element, TID-to-Link Mapping Element with suspended R-TWT mode indication, and TID-to-Link Mapping Element with termination R-TWT mode indication may be broadcast elements on the links set up between the AP MLD and non-AP MLD; Lu, [0125] discloses the R-TWT SP Quiet Elements may be included in management MGMT frames sent from AP1/AP3 to STA 1/STA3; Lu, [0058] discloses in the negotiation process, a R-TWT request from the first STA is received by the first AP; and a first R-TWT response is sent by the first AP to the first STA to set up the R-TWT agreement on any one or more of the at least one link to which the at least one LL TID has been mapped and in one example, if there are two links between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD, Link 1 is set up between the first AP and the first STA, and Link 2 is set up between a second AP and a second STA, the negotiation between the first AP and the first STA may be conducted to set up the R-TWT agreement on Link 1, Link 2 or both).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Lu for the purpose of providing the system with a means to identify the different types of services such as latency sensitive streams in either the uplink and downlink direction (Lu, [0116]) and to be able to set up the negotiation on parameters via multiple different means by either utilizing a single link or every link (Lu, [0058]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element, wherein the rTWT element includes additional information indicating the uplink or downlink latency sensitive streams and wherein the frames are transmitted on each link as taught by Lu) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element (i.e. as taught by Kwon & Lu) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 5 and claim 24, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1) and The access point device according to claim 18 (see claim 18).
wherein: the access point device comprises a multi-link device, (Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD).
Kwon discloses sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element but fails to explicitly disclose that said frames are transmitted via each link and therefore fails to disclose “and sending the target radio frame comprises at least one of: sending a target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with a station; or sending radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the station; wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.”
In a related field of endeavor, Lu discloses:
and sending the target radio frame comprises at least one of: sending a target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with a station; (Lu, [0058] discloses in the negotiation process, a R-TWT request from the first STA is received by the first AP; and a first R-TWT response is sent by the first AP to the first STA to set up the R-TWT agreement on any one or more of the at least one link to which the at least one LL TID has been mapped and in one example, if there are two links between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD, Link 1 is set up between the first AP and the first STA, and Link 2 is set up between a second AP and a second STA, the negotiation between the first AP and the first STA may be conducted to set up the R-TWT agreement on Link 1, Link 2 or both; Lu, [0116] discloses the R-TWT DL/UL TID Bitmap subfields in the R-TWT Traffic Info field are set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the downlink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield and the Restricted TWT UL TID Bitmap subfield is set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the uplink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield; Lu, Fig. 7B & [0114] discloses a second format of a Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field of an R-TWT element with TID-to-Link mapping information according to some embodiments of the invention and the Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field further includes a Link ID Bitmap field and a R-TWT Traffic Info field; Lu, [0133] discloses the R-TWT Element, R-TWT SP Quiet Element, TID-to-Link Mapping Element with suspended R-TWT mode indication, and TID-to-Link Mapping Element with termination R-TWT mode indication may be broadcast elements on the links set up between the AP MLD and non-AP MLD; Lu, [0125] discloses the R-TWT SP Quiet Elements may be included in management MGMT frames sent from AP1/AP3 to STA 1/STA3. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “or sending radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the station; wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.” ) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Lu for the purpose of providing the system with a means to identify the different types of services such as latency sensitive streams in either the uplink and downlink direction (Lu, [0116]) and to be able to set up the negotiation on parameters via multiple different means by either utilizing a single link or every link (Lu, [0058]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element, wherein the rTWT element includes additional information indicating the uplink or downlink latency sensitive streams and wherein the frames are transmitted on each link as taught by Lu) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element (i.e. as taught by Kwon & Lu) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Regarding claim 12, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 8, (see claim8).
wherein: the station comprises a multi-link device, (Kwon, [0041] discloses an access point AP multi-link device MLD of a WLAN, and may exchange data with at least one associated non-AP MLD such as a station STA MLD).
Kwon discloses sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element but fails to explicitly disclose that said frames are transmitted via each link and therefore fails to disclose “and receiving the target radio frame comprises at least one of: receiving a respective target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with an access point; receiving radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the access point; or wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap”.
In a related field of endeavor, Lu discloses:
and receiving the target radio frame comprises at least one of: receiving a respective target radio frame corresponding to each communication link under each communication link with an access point; (Lu, [0058] discloses in the negotiation process, a R-TWT request from the first STA is received by the first AP; and a first R-TWT response is sent by the first AP to the first STA to set up the R-TWT agreement on any one or more of the at least one link to which the at least one LL TID has been mapped and in one example, if there are two links between the AP MLD and the non-AP MLD, Link 1 is set up between the first AP and the first STA, and Link 2 is set up between a second AP and a second STA, the negotiation between the first AP and the first STA may be conducted to set up the R-TWT agreement on Link 1, Link 2 or both; Lu, [0116] discloses the R-TWT DL/UL TID Bitmap subfields in the R-TWT Traffic Info field are set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the downlink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield and the Restricted TWT UL TID Bitmap subfield is set to indicate which TID(s) is identified by the TWT scheduling APs or the TWT scheduled STAs as latency sensitive traffic streams in the uplink direction on the links which are indicated in the Link ID Bitmap subfield; Lu, Fig. 7B & [0114] discloses a second format of a Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field of an R-TWT element with TID-to-Link mapping information according to some embodiments of the invention and the Broadcast R-TWT Parameter Set field further includes a Link ID Bitmap field and a R-TWT Traffic Info field; Lu, [0133] discloses the R-TWT Element, R-TWT SP Quiet Element, TID-to-Link Mapping Element with suspended R-TWT mode indication, and TID-to-Link Mapping Element with termination R-TWT mode indication may be broadcast elements on the links set up between the AP MLD and non-AP MLD; Lu, [0125] discloses the R-TWT SP Quiet Elements may be included in management MGMT frames sent from AP1/AP3 to STA 1/STA3. EXAMINER’S NOTE: The examiner notes that the claims are written in an alternative limitation format requiring and contingent on the selection of only one of various alternative options presented and as such the non-selected alternative options are crossed out (i.e. the limitations reciting “or receiving radio frame information of each communication link under at least one communication link with the station; wherein the radio frame information comprises the target radio frame and identification information of each target communication link corresponding to the target radio frame, and the identification information comprises at least one of a link identifier (ID) and a link ID set bitmap.” ) and are not given patentable weight as being directed towards limitations that are not required to be performed as is indicated in MPEP 2143.03 that recites “Language that suggests or makes a feature or step optional but does not require that feature or step does not limit the scope of a claim under the broadest reasonable claim interpretation. In addition, when a claim requires selection of an element from a list of alternatives, the prior art teaches the element if one of the alternatives is taught by the prior art” and in MPEP 2111.04, Section ll that recites “The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim having contingent limitations requires only those steps that must be performed and does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent are not met”).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Lu for the purpose of providing the system with a means to identify the different types of services such as latency sensitive streams in either the uplink and downlink direction (Lu, [0116]) and to be able to set up the negotiation on parameters via multiple different means by either utilizing a single link or every link (Lu, [0058]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element, wherein the rTWT element includes additional information indicating the uplink or downlink latency sensitive streams and wherein the frames are transmitted on each link as taught by Lu) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of sending a frame that includes a quiet element and an rTWT element (i.e. as taught by Kwon & Lu) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Claim(s) 6 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon et al. (US Patent Publication 2022/0132419 herein after referenced as Kwon) in view of Asterjadhi et al. (US Patent Publication 2016/0374112 herein after referenced as Aster).
Regarding claim 6 and claim 25, Kwon discloses:
The signal processing method according to claim 1, (see claim 1) and The access point device according to claim 18 (see claim 18).
Kwon discloses an AP sending different types of frames but fails to explicitly disclose a determination as to what type of frame to send is made prior to sending the frames and therefore fails to disclose “wherein before sending the target radio frame, the method comprises: determining the target radio frame.”
In a related field of endeavor, Aster discloses:
wherein before sending the target radio frame, the method comprises: determining the target radio frame (Aster, [0048] discloses an AP determining to transmit a SU or MU frame associated with a traffic type identifies a set of EDCA parameters for an access category that is based at least in part on the traffic type).
Therefore, at the time before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Kwon to incorporate the teachings of Aster for the purpose of providing the system with a means to determining which frame to transmit (Aster, [0048]) and for the purpose of making the system more dynamic and adaptable by providing the system with various different alternatives in design and functionality, thereby allowing the system to handle a number of various different combination of specific design structure and scenarios and preventing the system from being limited to a single specific design structure and scenario and furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize based on the guidelines to rationales supporting a conclusion of obviousness seen on MPEP 2143, that the modification would involve use of a simple substitution of one known element and base device (i.e. performing a process of an AP sending different types of frames as taught by Kwon) with another known element and comparable device utilizing a known technique (i.e. performing a process of an AP sending different types of frames, wherein a determination is made as to which type of frame is to be sent prior to the sending as taught by Aster) to improve the similar devices in the same way and to obtain the predictable result of the system performing a process of an AP sending different types of frames (i.e. as taught by Kwon & Aster) and is dependent upon the specific intended use, design incentives, needs and requirements (i.e. such as due to teachings of a known standard, current technology, conservation of resources, personal preferences, economic considerations, etc.) of the user and the system as has been established in MPEP 2144.04.
Conclusion
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/MICHAEL Y MAPA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645