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 10/30/2024, 12/09/2024, and 02/24/2025 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
3. Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 15 line 14 “outputing” should be spelled “outputting”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 15, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0014509 A1 by Asterjadhi et al. (hereafter referred to as Asterjadhi).
Regarding claim 1, Asterjadhi teaches an information transmission method, comprising:
receiving, by a first device, a trigger-based frame from a second device (see at least ¶ [0044]; “In some implementations, the methods and wireless communication devices may be configured to obtain one or more of a trigger frame including the first indicator, an indication of a mapping from the first indicator to the first non-contiguous set of tones”), wherein the trigger-based frame comprises distributed resource unit indication information indicating a distributed resource unit allocated to the first device (see at least ¶ [0133]-[0134]; “an AP 725 may distribute the tones for the distributed RU 710 across a channel bandwidth 715 for transmission to a STA 730.”);
determining, by the first device, one or more distributed resource blocks based on the distributed resource unit indication information (see at least ¶ [0161]; “The RU manager 1015 may assign a first RU to a first wireless node, in which the first RU includes a first non-contiguous set of tones of a channel, generate a first indicator indicating the first RU, output the first indicator for transmission, and obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU.”), wherein each of the one or more distributed resource blocks comprises N1 data subcarriers and N2 pilot subcarriers, an absolute value of an index difference between every two data subcarriers of N3 data subcarriers in the N1 data subcarriers is greater than or equal to 4, N1, N2, and N3 are all positive integers, and N2 < N3
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N1 (see at least Table 3 and ¶ [0081]; “In some implementations, RUs may be allocated in 2 MHz intervals, and as such, the smallest RU may include 26 tones consisting of 24 data tones and 2 pilot tones.”); and
sending, by the first device, a response to the trigger-based frame to the second device based on the one or more distributed resource blocks (see at least Fig. 18 and ¶ [0213] At 1820, the AP may obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU. The operations of 1820 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1820 may be performed by a data communication component as described with reference to FIGS. 10-13. ).
Regarding claim 2, Asterjadhi teaches the method according to claim 1.
In addition, Asterjadhi teaches wherein when a bandwidth is 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 24, N2 = 2, and N3 = 24, or when a bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 48, N2 = 4, and N3 = 48, or when a bandwidth is 160 MHz or 320 MHz, N1 = 102, N2 = 4, and N3 = 96, or when a bandwidth is 320 MHz, N1 = 234, N2 = 8, and N3 = 192, the N3 data subcarriers satisfy: if the N3 data subcarriers are divided into N3/6 groups in an ascending order of indices, every six data subcarriers form one group, and an absolute value of an index difference between two adjacent data subcarriers in a same group is 18 (see at least Table 3, for logic RU 26, there are 24 data tones and two pilot tones in the RU with an index of 1, and there are a plurality of data tones, such as -120, -102, -84, -57, -39, -21, etc.).
Regarding claim 7, Asterjadhi teaches the method according to claim 1.
In addition, Asterjadhi teaches wherein an absolute value of an index difference between every two pilot subcarriers of the N2 pilot subcarriers is greater than 1 (see at least Table 3, for logic RU 26, there are 24 data tones and two pilot tones in the RU with an index of 1, and there are a plurality of data tones, such as -120, -102, -84, -57, -39, -21, etc. The absolute value if the difference between the indexes thereof is greater than 4 (equivalent to the absolute value of the difference between the indexes of every two data subcarriers of N3 data subcarriers among N1 data subcarriers being greater than or equal to 4).
Regarding claim 8, Asterjadhi teaches a communication apparatus (see at least Fig. 17), comprising;
a processor (see at least Fig. 17); and
a communication interface, to perform information exchange with another communication device (see at least Fig. 17), wherein when program instructions are executed by the processor, the communication device is enabled to perform:
receiving, by a first device, a trigger-based frame from a second device (see at least ¶ [0044]; “In some implementations, the methods and wireless communication devices may be configured to obtain one or more of a trigger frame including the first indicator, an indication of a mapping from the first indicator to the first non-contiguous set of tones”), wherein the trigger-based frame comprises distributed resource unit indication information indicating a distributed resource unit allocated to the first device (see at least ¶ [0133]-[0134]; “an AP 725 may distribute the tones for the distributed RU 710 across a channel bandwidth 715 for transmission to a STA 730.”);
determining, by the first device, one or more distributed resource blocks based on the distributed resource unit indication information (see at least ¶ [0161]; “The RU manager 1015 may assign a first RU to a first wireless node, in which the first RU includes a first non-contiguous set of tones of a channel, generate a first indicator indicating the first RU, output the first indicator for transmission, and obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU.”), wherein each of the one or more distributed resource blocks comprises N1 data subcarriers and N2 pilot subcarriers, an absolute value of an index difference between every two data subcarriers of N3 data subcarriers in the N1 data subcarriers is greater than or equal to 4, N1, N2, and N3 are all positive integers, and N2 < N3
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N1 (see at least Table 3 and ¶ [0081]; “In some implementations, RUs may be allocated in 2 MHz intervals, and as such, the smallest RU may include 26 tones consisting of 24 data tones and 2 pilot tones.”); and
sending, by the first device, a response to the trigger-based frame to the second device based on the one or more distributed resource blocks (see at least Fig. 18 and ¶ [0213] At 1820, the AP may obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU. The operations of 1820 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1820 may be performed by a data communication component as described with reference to FIGS. 10-13. ).
Regarding claim 9, Asterjadhi teaches the apparatus according to claim 8.
In addition, Asterjadhi teaches wherein when a bandwidth is 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 24, N2 = 2, and N3 = 24, or when a bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 48, N2 = 4, and N3 = 48, or when a bandwidth is 160 MHz or 320 MHz, N1 = 102, N2 = 4, and N3 = 96, or when a bandwidth is 320 MHz, N1 = 234, N2 = 8, and N3 = 192, the N3 data subcarriers satisfy: if the N3 data subcarriers are divided into N3/6 groups in an ascending order of indices, every six data subcarriers form one group, and an absolute value of an index difference between two adjacent data subcarriers in a same group is 18 (see at least Table 3, for logic RU 26, there are 24 data tones and two pilot tones in the RU with an index of 1, and there are a plurality of data tones, such as -120, -102, -84, -57, -39, -21, etc.).
Regarding claim 14, Asterjadhi teaches the apparatus according to claim 8.
In addition, Asterjadhi further teaches wherein an absolute value of an index difference between every two pilot subcarriers of the N2 pilot subcarriers is greater than 1 (see at least Table 3, for logic RU 26, there are 24 data tones and two pilot tones in the RU with an index of 1, and there are a plurality of data tones, such as -120, -102, -84, -57, -39, -21, etc. The absolute value if the difference between the indexes thereof is greater than 4 (equivalent to the absolute value of the difference between the indexes of every two data subcarriers of N3 data subcarriers among N1 data subcarriers being greater than or equal to 4).
Regarding claim 15, Asterjadhi teaches a chip (see at least Fig. 17), comprising:
a communication interface (see at least Fig. 17); and
a processing circuit (see at least Fig. 17) configured to perform:
receiving a trigger-based frame from a second device (see at least ¶ [0044]; “In some implementations, the methods and wireless communication devices may be configured to obtain one or more of a trigger frame including the first indicator, an indication of a mapping from the first indicator to the first non-contiguous set of tones”), wherein the trigger-based frame comprises distributed resource unit indication information indicating a distributed resource unit allocated to the chip (see at least ¶ [0133]-[0134]; “an AP 725 may distribute the tones for the distributed RU 710 across a channel bandwidth 715 for transmission to a STA 730.”);
determining one or more distributed resource blocks based on the distributed resource unit indication information (see at least ¶ [0161]; “The RU manager 1015 may assign a first RU to a first wireless node, in which the first RU includes a first non-contiguous set of tones of a channel, generate a first indicator indicating the first RU, output the first indicator for transmission, and obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU.”), wherein each of the one or more distributed resource blocks comprises N1 data subcarriers and N2 pilot subcarriers, an absolute value of an index difference between every two data subcarriers of N3 data subcarriers in the NI data subcarriers is greater than or equal to 4, N1, N2, and N3 are all positive integers, and N2 <N3<N1 (see at least Table 3 and ¶ [0081]; “In some implementations, RUs may be allocated in 2 MHz intervals, and as such, the smallest RU may include 26 tones consisting of 24 data tones and 2 pilot tones.”); and
outputting a response to the trigger-based frame to the second device based on the one or more distributed resource blocks (see at least Fig. 18 and ¶ [0213] At 1820, the AP may obtain data from the first wireless node via the first RU. The operations of 1820 may be performed according to the methods described herein. In some examples, aspects of the operations of 1820 may be performed by a data communication component as described with reference to FIGS. 10-13. ).
Regarding claim 16, Asterjadhi teaches the chip according to claim 15. In addition, Asterjadhi teaches wherein when a bandwidth is 40 MHz, 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 24, N2 = 2, and N3 = 24, or when a bandwidth is 80 MHz, 160 MHz, or 320 MHz, N1 = 48, N2 = 4, and N3 = 48, or when a bandwidth is 160 MHz or 320 MHz, N1 = 102, N2 = 4, and N3 = 96, or when a bandwidth is 320 MHz, N1 = 234, N2 = 8, and N3 = 192, the N3 data subcarriers satisfy: if the N3 data subcarriers are divided into N3/6 groups in an ascending order of indices, every six data subcarriers form one group, and an absolute value of an index difference between two adjacent data subcarriers in a same group is 18 (see at least Table 3, for logic RU 26, there are 24 data tones and two pilot tones in the RU with an index of 1, and there are a plurality of data tones, such as -120, -102, -84, -57, -39, -21, etc.).
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 3-6, 10-13, and 17-20 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
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA W COSME whose telephone number is (571)270-7225. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4. 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, Ayman Abaza can be reached at 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATASHA W COSME/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465