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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 01/05/2024.
Claims 1-12, 15-22 are currently pending.
Claims 1-12, 15-18 are amended via a preliminary amendment.
Claims 19-22 are newly added.
Claims 13-14 are canceled in the preliminary amendment.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-8, 10-11, 15-22 are rejected.
Claims 3, 6, 9, 12 are objected to as being dependent upon rejected base claims.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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 1-2, 7-8, 15-19, 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN Jinhua et al (CN 108834167 A provided in IDS) in view of Arik Klein et al (US 20230300773 A1).
For Claim 1, Jinhua discloses a link control method, performed by a first access point (AP), the first AP being one AP affiliated to an AP multi-link device (MLD) (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station ), the method comprising: receiving a communication frame sent from a first station (STA) in a first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S101, that wireless access point receives a message from associated station, and [the] message can be management frame or data frame); and in response to determining that a received signal strength indication (RSSI) value is lower than a first RSSI threshold (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, S103 wireless access point AP checks the RSSI of the data frame. S104 judges whether the RSSI of the data frame is lower than the first signal strength threshold), wherein the first RSSI threshold is an RSSI threshold corresponding to the first link (Jinhua teaches, on Page 8, para 2, that when quality of radio connection is preferable, will not usually be disconnected), and disassociating the first AP from the first STA in the first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S108 the wireless access point disconnects the association with the station with RSSI below the threshold. That is the association/connection with the station is terminated).
Jinhua fails to expressly disclose sending a disassociation frame to the first STA.
However, Klein, in the analogous art of data transmission, discloses sending a disassociation frame to the first STA (Klein teaches, in ¶ 0101-0102, that The setup process may be done using the disassociation frame that can be initiated by either the AP MLD or the non-AP MLD. [0102] The disassociation frame shall be exchanged through a single link, e.g. a selected link between one affiliated non-AP STA and one affiliated AP operating on the same link).
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua with the disassociation-frame exchange taught in Klein. The motivation is so that the recipient of the disassociation frame will prohibit each of the affiliated non-AP STAs/APs from sending any MSDU to the corresponding affiliated AP/non-AP STA [Klein: ¶ 0103].
For Claim 2, Jinhua discloses in Figure 1, step S108 the wireless access point disconnects the association with the station with RSSI below the threshold.
Jinhua fails to expressly disclose that a second AP is at least one AP affiliated to the AP MLD, and the second AP is different from the first AP.
However, Klein, in the analogous art of data transmission, discloses that a second AP is at least one AP affiliated to the AP MLD, and the second AP is different from the first AP (Klein shows, in FIG. 1, that AP 2 is an AP MLD that is different from AP 1. AP 2 is associated with Non-AP STA 2).
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua with the disassociation-frame exchange taught in Klein. The motivation is so that the recipient of the disassociation frame will prohibit each of the affiliated non-AP STAs/APs from sending any MSDU to the corresponding affiliated AP/non-AP STA [Klein: ¶ 0103].
For Claim 7, Jinhua discloses a link control method, performed by a first station (STA) (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station), the method comprising: sending a communication frame to a first access point (AP) in a first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S101, that wireless access point receives a message from associated station, and [the] message can be management frame or data frame),
the first AP being any one AP affiliated to an AP multi-link device (MLD) (Jinhua teaches, on Page 7, para 1, that a wireless access point AP and multiple site STAs associated therewith form a basic service set (Basic Service Set, BSS)); and disassociating from the first AP in the first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S108 the wireless access point disconnects the association with the station with RSSI below the threshold. That is the association/connection with the station is terminated).
Jinhua fails to expressly disclose receiving a disassociation frame from the first AP in the first link.
However, Klein, in the analogous art of data transmission, discloses receiving a disassociation frame from the first AP in the first link (Klein teaches, in ¶ 0101-0102, that The setup process may be done using the disassociation frame that can be initiated by either the AP MLD or the non-AP MLD. [0102] The disassociation frame shall be exchanged through a single link, e.g. a selected link between one affiliated non-AP STA and one affiliated AP operating on the same link).
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua with the disassociation-frame exchange taught in Klein. The motivation is so that the recipient of the disassociation frame will prohibit each of the affiliated non-AP STAs/APs from sending any MSDU to the corresponding affiliated AP/non-AP STA [Klein: ¶ 0103].
For Claim 8, please refer to the rejection of Claim 2, above.
For Claim 15, Jinhua discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to collectively perform, the link control method according to claim 1 (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station). An Access Point and/or a mobile station are known to persons skilled in the relevant art to comprise instructions stored in memory for execution by a processor.
Klein teaches, in ¶ 0020, that The computer readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when the instruction runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method of link operation for MLD. Please also refer to the rejection of Claim 1, above.
For Claim 16, Jinhua discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to collectively perform, the link control method according to claim 7 (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station). An Access Point and/or a mobile station are known to persons skilled in the relevant art to comprise instructions stored in memory for execution by a processor.
Klein teaches, in ¶ 0020, that The computer readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when the instruction runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method of link operation for MLD. Please also refer to the rejection of Claim 7, above.
For Claim 17, Jinhua discloses a link control apparatus, comprising: a one or more processors; and a memory, configured to store instructions executable by the one or more processors; wherein the processors are collectively configured to execute the link control method according to claim 1 (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station). An Access Point and/or a mobile station are known to persons skilled in the relevant art to comprise instructions stored in memory for execution by at least a processor.
Klein teaches, in ¶ 0006, that The MLD may be an AP MLD or non-AP MLD. The MLD comprises a medium access control, MAC, Layer Management entity, MLME, and a station management entity, SME, comprising a processor and a transceiver. Please also refer to the rejection of Claim 1, above.
For Claim 18, Jinhua discloses a link control apparatus, comprising: a one or more processors; and a memory, configured to store instructions executable by the one or more processors; wherein the processors are collectively configured to (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, a method and system for managing a wireless LAN comprising an AP and a station). An Access Point and/or a mobile station are known to persons skilled in the relevant art to comprise instructions stored in memory for execution by at least a processor, the method comprising: send a communication frame from a first station (STA) to a first access point (AP) in a first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S101, that wireless access point receives a message from associated station, and [the] message can be management frame or data frame), the first AP being any one AP affiliated to an AP multi-link device (MLD) (Jinhua teaches, on Page 7, para 1, that a wireless access point AP and multiple site STAs associated therewith form a basic service set (Basic Service Set, BSS)); and disassociate from the first AP in the first link (Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, step S108 the wireless access point disconnects the association with the station with RSSI below the threshold. That is the association/connection with the station is terminated).
Jinhua fails to expressly disclose receiving a disassociation frame from the first AP in the first link.
However, Klein, in the analogous art of data transmission, discloses receiving a disassociation frame from the first AP in the first link (Klein teaches, in ¶ 0101-0102, that The setup process may be done using the disassociation frame that can be initiated by either the AP MLD or the non-AP MLD. [0102] The disassociation frame shall be exchanged through a single link, e.g. a selected link between one affiliated non-AP STA and one affiliated AP operating on the same link).
Klein also teaches, in ¶ 0020, that The computer readable storage medium stores an instruction, and when the instruction runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method of link operation for MLD.
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua with the disassociation-frame exchange taught in Klein. The motivation is so that the recipient of the disassociation frame will prohibit each of the affiliated non-AP STAs/APs from sending any MSDU to the corresponding affiliated AP/non-AP STA [Klein: ¶ 0103].
For Claim 19, please refer to the rejection of Claim 2, above.
For Claim 21, please refer to the rejection of Claim 2, above.
Claims 4-5, 10-11, 20, 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CHEN Jinhua et al (CN 108834167 A 16 November 2018) in view of Arik Klein et al (US 20230300773 A1) as applied to claim 2, 8, 19, or 22 above, and further in view of George Calcev (US 20160073316 A1).
For Claims 4, 10, Jinhua discloses in Figure 1, step S108 the wireless access point disconnects the association with the station with RSSI below the threshold.
Klein teaches, in ¶ 0034, that system for multi-link operation includes (AP 1) operated on 2.4 GHz link, 112 (AP 2) operated on 5 GHz link and 113 (AP 3) operated on 6 GHz link in FIG. 1 (i.e., link identification set). Klein also teaches, in ¶ 0085, that The selectedTeardownLinkID may indicate the Link ID value through which the corresponding disassociation frame exchange may be done during the MLD tear-down phase.
Jinhua and Klein fail to expressly disclose a reason code.
However, Calcev, in the analogous art, discloses a reason code (Calcev teaches, in ¶ 0005, that The method also includes transmitting, by the AP to a station (STA), the second channel quality report and a reason code for the STA transitioning from the first RAT to the second RAT and receiving, by the AP from the STA, a disassociation request in accordance with the second channel quality report).
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua and Klein with the reason code and measurement report taught in Calcev. The motivation is so that the station can effect a data-link transition based on the channel quality report.
For Claims 5, 11, Jinhua and Klein disclose all of the claimed subject matter with the exception that bits in the link identification set correspond one-to-one with identifications of links, and a bit value of any one of the bits is used to disassociate an AP from an STA in a corresponding link when the bit value of the bit is a preset value.
However, Calcev, in the analogous art, discloses that bits in the link identification set correspond one-to-one with identifications of links, and a bit value of any one of the bits is used to disassociate an AP from an STA in a corresponding link when the bit value of the bit is a preset value code (Calcev teaches, in ¶ 0037, that the cellular data link transition request is an octet bit field, where a value of 1 indicates to the AP that the STA wants to move its traffic to the cellular data link (i.e., to disassociate from the WiFi link)). Calcev explains, in ¶ 0043, that A transition request for the STA to transition from WiFi to cellular may originate in a variety of manners. The transition request may be unsolicited from the AP to the STA.
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua and Klein with the reason code and measurement report taught in Calcev. The motivation is so that the station can effect a data-link transition based on the channel quality report.
For Claim 20, Jinhua discloses in Jinhua teaches, in Figure 1, S103 wireless access point AP checks the RSSI of the data frame. S104 judges whether the RSSI of the data frame is lower than the first signal strength threshold.
Klein teaches, in ¶ 0034, that system for multi-link operation includes (AP 1) operated on 2.4 GHz link, 112 (AP 2) operated on 5 GHz link and 113 (AP 3) operated on 6 GHz link in FIG. 1 (i.e., link identification set). Klein also teaches, in ¶ 0085, that The selectedTeardownLinkID may indicate the Link ID value through which the corresponding disassociation frame exchange may be done during the MLD tear-down phase.
Jinhua and Klein fail to expressly disclose a reason code.
However, Calcev, in the analogous art, discloses a reason code (Calcev teaches, in ¶ 0005, that The method also includes transmitting, by the AP to a station (STA), the second channel quality report and a reason code for the STA transitioning from the first RAT to the second RAT and receiving, by the AP from the STA, a disassociation request in accordance with the second channel quality report).
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 transmission system taught in Jinhua and Klein with the reason code and measurement report taught in Calcev. The motivation is so that the station can effect a data-link transition based on the channel quality report.
For Claim 22, please refer to the rejection of Claim 20, above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 6, 9, 12 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 3, 6, 9, 12 are considered allowable because the prior art does not teach limitations including:
“wherein the disassociation frame at least comprises: a reason code for indicating lower than the first RSSI threshold and an identification of the first link; and the disassociation frame further comprises: a reason code for indicating lower than a second RSSI threshold and an identification of the second link, wherein the second RSSI threshold is a preset RSSI threshold corresponding to the second link,” in addition to other claim limitations as recited in dependent claims 3, 9.
“sending duration indication information to the first STA in the first link, the duration indication information being used to indicate an interval duration for resending the reassociation request frame,” in addition to other claim limitations as recited in dependent claims 6, 12.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. CHITRAKAR et al (US 20230156840 A1) deals with methods and apparatuses for multi-link setup and link maintenance.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMED A KAMARA whose telephone number is (571)270-5629. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-4PM.
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/MOHAMED A KAMARA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412