DETAILED ACTION
This office action response to the communication filed on 1/22/2024.
Claims 1-18, 21 and 23 are presented for examination.
Notice of 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 statements (lDSs) submitted on January 16, 2024; November 15, 2024; and September 01, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Domestic Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of allows for the claim benefit submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or 120, and 37 CFR 1.78, or indicate National stage entry from PCT application, which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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.
(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, 9-16, 18, 21, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by HWANG et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220287121 A1), (“D1”, hereinafter).
As per Claim 1, D1 discloses a method for communication on multiple links ([see, [0029], multi-link operation performs communication]), performed by an access point (AP) supporting multi-link communication ([see, [0029], an AP MLD capable of multi-link operation]), the method comprising:
determining a first message frame ([see, [0029, 0150-0155], and Fig. 5, a transmit a frame by using multiple links, and determine the frame notifying that the primary link has been changed on the changed primary link after the appliance time of the designated link]), wherein the first message frame comprises information related to adding and/or deleting at least one link ([see, [0150-0155], and Fig. 5, AP MLD may register AID information of the corresponding STA in the changed primary link, and the AP MLD may delete the AID information used in the previous primary link]); and
transmitting the first message frame ([see, [0155], the AP MLD may transmit a frame including a new AID value mapped to a MAC address of the STA MLD after the indicated changing time]).
As per Claim 2, D1 discloses the method according to claim 1, and D1 further discloses wherein the information comprises a first identification and/or a second identification ([see, [0140], association IDs (AIDs) may be individually provided for each link]), wherein the first identification is configured to identify an addition of a new link, wherein the second identification is configured to identify a deletion of an existing link ([see, [0140], the parameters including an AID to be used in a new primary link (a new link) including an AID may be updated to new parameters when they are different from those of the previous primary link (a deletion of an existing link)]).
As per Claim 3, D1 discloses the method according to claim 2, and D1 further discloses wherein the information further comprises a third identification and/or a fourth identification ([see, [0150], AP MLD may allocate the deleted AID to another STA]), wherein the third identification is configured to identify a number of one or more added links, wherein the fourth identification is configured to identify a number of one or more deleted links ([see, [0150], AP MLD may allocate the deleted AID to another STA]).
As per Claim 4, D1 discloses the method according to claim 2, and D1 further discloses wherein the first identification and the third identification are comprised in a same field ([see, [0158], the AP MLD may transmit the trigger frame by including the AID used in the previous primary link in an AID subfield of the trigger frame]).
As per Claim 5, D1 discloses the method according to claim 1, and D1 further discloses wherein the information ([see, [0011], frame including information]) comprises a link information field ([see, [0137], information on each link may include a link ID allocated by the AP MLD for the link]) and the link information field is configured to identify information of an added and/or deleted link ([see, [0154], wherein association IDs (AIDs) information of the corresponding STA in the changed primary link, the AP MLD may delete the AID information used in the previous primary link]).
As per Claim 6, D1 discloses the method according to claim 5, and D1 further discloses wherein in a case that there is an added link, the link information field comprises information about performing an information transmission on the added link ([see, [0171], Information on a link to be added may be further included in the corresponding frame]).
As per Claim 7, D1 discloses the method according to claim 2, and D1 further discloses wherein the information comprises a multi- link device (MLD) media access control (MAC) address presence identification, wherein the MLD MAC address presence identification is configured to indicate a presence of an MLD MAC address in the information ([see, [0155], the AP MLD may transmit a frame including a new AID value mapped to a MAC address of the STA MLD after the indicated changing time]).
As per Claim 9, D1 discloses the method according to claim 1, and D1 further discloses wherein the information is in a form of a multi-link information element, wherein the multi-link information element comprises a type identification for identifying reconfiguring the multi-link information element ([see, [0048], and Fig. 16, a multi-link information element used in a negotiation procedure for performing a multi-link operation between a STA MLD and an AP MLD when performing the multi-link operation]).
As per Claim 10, D1 discloses a method for communication on multiple links ([see, [0029], multi-link operation performs communication]), performed by a station supporting multi-link communication ([see, [0029], an AP MLD capable of multi-link operation with a STA MLD]), the method comprising:
receiving a first message frame ([see, [0029, 0150-0155], and Fig. 5, a transmit a frame by using multiple links, and determine the frame notifying that the primary link has been changed on the changed primary link after the appliance time of the designated link]), wherein the first message frame comprises information related to adding and/or deleting at least one link ([see, [0150-0155], and Fig. 5, AP MLD may register AID information of the corresponding STA in the changed primary link, and the AP MLD may delete the AID information used in the previous primary link]); and
performing a communication operation according to the first message frame ([see, [0155], the AP MLD may transmit a frame including a new AID value mapped to a MAC address of the STA MLD after the indicated changing time]).
As per Claim 11, D1 discloses the method according to claim 10, and D1 further discloses wherein the information comprises a first identification and/or a second identification ([see, [0140], association IDs (AIDs) may be individually provided for each link]), wherein the first identification is configured to identify an addition of a new link, wherein the second identification is configured to identify a deletion of an existing link ([see, [0140], the parameters including an AID to be used in a new primary link (a new link) including an AID may be updated to new parameters when they are different from those of the previous primary link (a deletion of an existing link)]).
As per Claim 12, D1 discloses the method according to claim 11, D1 further discloses wherein the information further comprises a third identification and/or a fourth identification ([see, [0150], AP MLD may allocate the deleted AID to another STA]), wherein the third identification is configured to identify a number of one or more added links, wherein the fourth identification is configured to identify a number of one or more deleted links ([see, [0150], AP MLD may allocate the deleted AID to another STA]).
As per Claim 13, D1 discloses the method according to claim 11, D1 further discloses wherein the first identification and the third identification are comprised in a same field ([see, [0158], the AP MLD may transmit the trigger frame by including the AID used in the previous primary link in an AID subfield of the trigger frame]).
As per Claim 14, D1 discloses the method according to claim 10, D1 further discloses wherein the information ([see, [0011], frame including information]) comprises a link information field ([see, [0137], information on each link may include a link ID allocated by the AP MLD for the link]) and the link information field is configured to identify information of an added and/or deleted link ([see, [0154], wherein association IDs (AIDs) information of the corresponding STA in the changed primary link, the AP MLD may delete the AID information used in the previous primary link]).
As per Claim 15, D1 discloses the method according to claim 14, D1 further discloses wherein in a case that there is an added link, the link information field comprises information about performing an information transmission on the added link ([see, [0171], Information on a link to be added may be further included in the corresponding frame]).
As per Claim 16, D1 discloses the method according to claim 11, D1 further discloses wherein the information comprises a multi- link device (MLD) media access control (MAC) address presence identification, wherein the MLD MAC address presence identification is configured to indicate a presence of an MLD MAC address in the information ([see, [0155], the AP MLD may transmit a frame including a new AID value mapped to a MAC address of the STA MLD after the indicated changing time]).
As per Claim 18, D1 discloses the method according to claim 10, and D1 further discloses wherein the information is in a form of a multi-link information element, wherein the multi-link information element comprises a type identification for identifying reconfiguring the multi-link information element ([see, [0048], and Fig. 16, a multi-link information element used in a negotiation procedure for performing a multi-link operation between a STA MLD and an AP MLD when performing the multi-link operation]).
As per Claim 21, D1 discloses an electronic device ([see, [0029], an AP MLD capable of multi-link operation]), comprising:
a memory for storing a computer program ([see, Fig. 2, item 220]); and
a processor ([see, Fig. 2, item 210]),
wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a first message frame ([see, [0029, 0150-0155], and Fig. 5, a transmit a frame by using multiple links, and determine the frame notifying that the primary link has been changed on the changed primary link after the appliance time of the designated link]), wherein the first message frame comprises information related to adding and/or deleting at least one link ([see, [0150-0155], and Fig. 5, AP MLD may register AID information of the corresponding STA in the changed primary link, and the AP MLD may delete the AID information used in the previous primary link]); and
transmit the first message frame ([see, [0155], the AP MLD may transmit a frame including a new AID value mapped to a MAC address of the STA MLD after the indicated changing time]).
As per Claim 23, is the system claim corresponding to the method claim 10 that has been rejected above. Applicant attention is directed to the rejection of claim 10. Claim 23 is rejected under the same rational as claim 10.
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 of this title, 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 8 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HWANG et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220287121 A1), (“D1”, hereinafter), in view of JULIEN et al. (International Application GB 2605981 A), (“D2”, hereinafter).
As per Claims 8, 17, D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: wherein, in a case that there is an added link, the MLD MAC address presence identification is set to a first value to indicate that the MLD MAC address exists in the information; or in a case that there is a deleted link only, the MLD MAC address presence identification is set to a second value to indicate that the MLD MAC address does not exist in the information.
However, D2 discloses wherein, in a case that there is an added link, the MLD MAC address presence identification is set to a first value to indicate that the MLD MAC address exists in the information; or in a case that there is a deleted link only, the MLD MAC address presence identification is set to a second value to indicate that the MLD MAC address does not exist in the information ([see, pages 15-16, lines 25-40, and 1-15, wherein the frame are used in a conventional way, set to value 0 for MLD MAC address subfield 321 is set to the MAC address of AP MLD 110 and Link Info field 330 contains the set of Per-STA profiles of reported affiliated Aps, and including all the network information elements of the corresponding reported affiliated AP]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D2, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D2. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide flexibly configure time domain resources MLO improves data throughput by allowing communications between stations over multiple concurrent and non-contiguous communication links (D2, page 2, lines 35-40]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BERHANU BELETE whose telephone number is (571)272-3478. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm, Alt. Friday, and EDT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JEONG, MOO R. can be reached on (571) 272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERHANU D BELETE/
Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/WUTCHUNG CHU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2418