DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Application
2 This instant Office Action is in response to Original Filing filed on 3/1/2024.
3. This Office Action is made Non-Final.
4. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/1/2024 and 7/1/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
1. Claims 1-6, 8-10, 13-17, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Cariou et al. US 20220303356 hereafter Cariou.
As to Claim 1. Cariou discloses a method of providing joint transmission for a wireless connection, the method comprising [Sections 0005, 0015: IEEE 802.11ac and other standards proposed full duplex WiFi radios that simultaneously transmit and receive on the same channel (includes connection see 0104). Technology enables higher throughput for stations, access point (AP), and/or devices that support simultaneous (i.e. joint) multi-band operations]:
establishing an upper upper medium access controller (upper UMAC) [Fig. 4 (Depicts Multi-band controller-440, multi-band upper MAC-420), Sections 0016, 0119-0120: The MAC layer and above the MAC layer is enabled by establishing multiple links that can be aggregated, in a multi-band upper MAC defined in IEEE 802.11ad. A multi-band controller operational to control the multi-band. Wherein the multi-band upper MAC communicates with an upper layer with a MAC SAP (Service Access Point)],
establishing a connection, between the upper UMAC and a station (STA) actor [i.e. STA or wireless devices/apparatus], over a plurality of access point actors (AP actors) [Fig. 4 (Depicts Multi-band controller-440, multi-band upper MAC-420), Sections 0003, 0023, 0071: The MAC Layer manages/maintains communications of stations (STA) and access points (APs) by coordinating access to radio channel and utilizing protocols over a wireless medium. A multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided, aggregated links are between stations and multiple APs (access points). MAC SAP (service access point) starts by establishing multi-band link aggregation with STA2 over the links (i.e. over AP actors/devices)];
wherein each of the AP actors [i.e. APs or Access point devices] includes a lower upper medium access controller (UMAC), a lower medium access controller (LMAC), and a physical layer (PHY) [Figs. 1 (Depicts APs with multi-band layer and Low MAC entities), Fig. 3, Sections 0023, 0029, 0044: With this architecture, a multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided at both peer stations and on the AP side or with one or multiple APs. A multi-band device with a multi-band upper-MAC correspond to the multiple lower MAC entities. More specifically, wireless devices can be for example, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs; each device includes a MAC (mac layer) and PHY (physical layer), and a multi-band upper-MAC layer];
transmitting [Sections 0110-0111: A multi-band upper Media Access Controller (MAC) portion including: a multi-band transmitter] one or more proto-medium access controller protocol data units (proto-MPDUs) [i.e. Protocol Packets/PDUs/A-MPDU/MSDU] from the upper UMAC to the plurality of AP actors [Fig. 2, Sections 0025, 0050, 0054: This approach utilize buffered packets in the multi-band proxy with sequence number that are steered (i.e. transmitted) to the different APs. As discussed, the device with centralized multi-band upper-MAC entity per band enable flow (i.e. data/traffic) control decisions to be made at the transmission side. When receiving packets from the upper layers, performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption per MACs based on the OSI model and generate multiple MPDUs];
attaching PHY and MAC metadata to the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 (Depicts Metadata (i.e. set of data such as sequence number etc..)), Sections 0044, 0054: Each devices such as APs and STAs include a MAC and PHY interface. Performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, integrity/protection, fragmentation, packet number assignments and media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption as illustrated in FIG. 4, then generate multiple MPDUs as a result of packet segmentation],
and forming, at each of the plurality of AP actors, a PHY protocol data unit (PPDU) [Section 0022, 0039: These SAPs (access points) are constructed where the Media Access Control (MAC) layer requests services (i.e. data) from a physical layer (PHY). PPDU and MAC Layer PDU included information and certain fields as shown in Fig. 2], wherein each PPDU [i.e. physical layer data units/PPDU] is formed from a corresponding one of the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 Sections 0044, 0087, 0123: More specifically, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs (i.e. AP devices/actors) where each device includes a MAC and PHY. The PHY module/circuitry using physical layer include PLCP and building packets (i.e. PDUs) and the MAC circuitry handle co-ordination of interactions between the MAC and PHY layers. Wherein the transmitter traffic steering engine distributes MSDUs (MAC Service Data Units) to one or more MAC transmitters and collects MPDUs (MAC Protocol Data Units)].
As to Claim 2. Cariou discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising forming an aggregated MAC protocol data unit (AMPDU) according to MAC metadata, wherein the AMPDU can include one or more MPDUs [Fig. 4, Sections 0016, 0054, 0058: Link aggregation at the MAC (Media Access Control) layer and above the MAC layer is enabled. Packets and transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation including media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption, the MPDU may include multiple MSDUs as a result of packet aggregation. MDPU header/CRC (cyclic redundancy check) computation, A-MPDU aggregation and transmission performed].
As to Claim 3. Cariou discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the forming a PPDU includes one AMPDU [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), Sections 0039, 0087: PPDU and MAC Layer PDU included information and certain fields as shown in Fig. 2. The PHY module/circuitry using physical layer include PLCP and building packets (i.e. PDUs), and the MAC circuitry handle co-ordination of interactions between the MAC and PHY layers].
As to Claim 4. Cariou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the upper UMAC is on a separate device [i.e. SAP] from the AP actor [Sections 0119-0120: A multi-band controller operational to control the multi-band. Wherein the multi-band upper MAC communicates with an upper layer with a MAC SAP (Service Access Point)].
As to Claim 5. Cariou discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising sending additional MAC metadata and PHY metadata in a header for the proto-MPDU [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), Fig. 4, Sections 0054, 0074, 0077, 0096: Performing transmission processing including: media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption as illustrated in FIG. 4, then generate multiple MPDUs as a result of packet segmentation. Say, packets 1-10 are transmitted, and packets 1-8 are successfully received at STA2. Then Packets 9-20 (i.e. additional) are transmitted on the 60 GHz air interface, to STA2. The upper MAC of the transmitter is notified of the received block ACK(s), next, in step S640 one or more additional packets for transmission are detected, then there are additional packets to transmit with control].
As to Claim 6. Cariou discloses the method of claim 5, wherein each PHY collocated with a corresponding LMAC applies steering matrices based upon one or more of the additional MAC metadata and/or PHY metadata [Fig. 1 (Depicts Collocated scenarios), Figs. 2, 4, Sections 0030, 0041, 0096: All of the entities can be collocated and between the per-band low MAC (i.e. LMAC) and the centralized upper MAC entities. One aspect simplifies the multi-band flow control/traffic routing/steering calculations (i.e. metric) as the packets are transmitted. The upper MAC of the transmitter is notified and one or more additional packets for transmission are detected, then there are additional packets to transmit with control].
As to Claim 8. Cariou discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the additional MAC metadata and PHY metadata includes an assigned identifier that is unique across STA actors and a plurality of nearby AP actors within a predetermined timestamp [Fig. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), Sections 0040, 0044, 0054, 0076, 0096: The multi-band packets are steered/routed based on time, other routing criteria can include Quality of Service (QoS), priority, reliability, and/or the like. Each devices such as APs and STAs include a MAC and PHY interface. Packets including: multi-band sequence number (i.e. identifiers) assignments, and packet number (i.e. identifiers) assignments. The STAs/devices include MAC addresses (i.e. identifiers). The upper MAC in step S640 has one or more additional packets for transmission that are detected, then there are additional packets to transmit with control].
As to Claim 9. Cariou discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the additional MAC metadata and PHY metadata includes an assigned identifier that is unique across STA actors and a plurality of nearby AP actors within a predetermined neighborhood [Fig. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), Sections 0040, 0044, 0054, 0076, 0096: The multi-band packets are steered/routed based on time, other routing criteria can include Quality of Service (QoS), priority, reliability, and/or the like. Each devices such as APs and STAs include a MAC and PHY interface. Packets including: multi-band sequence number (i.e. identifiers) assignments, and packet number (i.e. identifiers) assignments. The STAs/devices include MAC addresses (i.e. identifiers). The upper MAC in step S640 has one or more additional packets for transmission that are detected, then there are additional packets to transmit with control].
As to Claim 10. Cariou discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of nearby AP actors perform a sounding to obtain steering matrices [Sections 0025, 0028, 0048: Assigned multi-band sequence number are steered to the different APs. The APs and the multi-band proxy are collocated in order to enhance and improve flow control decisions (i.e. traffic steering see 0024). For example, feedback from the attached devices can be used to direct traffic steering].
As to Claim 13. Cariou discloses a system comprising [Sections 0001: An exemplary aspect is directed toward wireless communications systems]:
a storage configured to store instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions and cause the processor to [Sections 0161: The disclosed methods implemented in software and/or firmware that can be stored on a storage medium and a programmed general-purpose computer with the cooperation of a controller and memory, or the like as a routine embedded in a dedicated communication system]:
establish a connection, between an upper upper medium access controller (upper UMAC) [Sections 0016, 0119: The MAC layer and above the MAC layer is enabled by establishing multiple links in a multi-band upper MAC. A multi-band controller operational to control the multi-band] and a station (STA) actor [i.e. STA or wireless devices/apparatus], over a plurality of access point actors (AP actors) [Fig. 4 (Depicts Multi-band controller-440, multi-band upper MAC-420), Sections 0003, 0023, 0071: The MAC Layer manages/maintains communications of stations (STA) and access points (APs) by coordinating access to radio channel and utilizing protocols over a wireless medium. A multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided, aggregated links are between stations and multiple APs (access points). MAC SAP (service access point) starts by establishing multi-band link aggregation with STA2 over the links (i.e. over AP actors/devices)];
wherein each of the AP actors [i.e. APs or Access point devices] includes a lower upper medium access controller (UMAC), a lower medium access controller (LMAC), and a physical layer (PHY) [Figs. 1 (Depicts APs with multi-band layer and Low MAC entities), Fig. 3, Sections 0023, 0029, 0044: With this architecture, a multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided at both peer stations and on the AP side or with one or multiple APs. A multi-band device with a multi-band upper-MAC correspond to the multiple lower MAC entities. More specifically, wireless devices can be for example, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs; each device includes a MAC (mac layer) and PHY (physical layer), and a multi-band upper-MAC layer];
transmit [Sections 0110-0111: A multi-band upper Media Access Controller (MAC) portion including: a multi-band transmitter] one or more proto-medium access controller protocol data units (proto-MPDUs) [i.e. Protocol Packets/PDUs/A-MPDU/MSDU] from the upper UMAC to the plurality of AP actors [Fig. 2, Sections 0025, 0050, 0054: This approach utilize buffered packets in the multi-band proxy with sequence number that are steered (i.e. transmitted) to the different APs. As discussed, the device with centralized multi-band upper-MAC entity per band enable flow (i.e. data/traffic) control decisions to be made at the transmission side. When receiving packets from the upper layers, performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption per MACs based on the OSI model and generate multiple MPDUs];
attach PHY and MAC metadata to the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 (Depicts Metadata (i.e. set of data such as sequence number etc..)), Sections 0044, 0054: Each devices such as APs and STAs include a MAC and PHY interface. Performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, integrity/protection, fragmentation, packet number assignments and media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption as illustrated in FIG. 4, then generate multiple MPDUs as a result of packet segmentation],
and form, at each of the plurality of AP actors, a PHY protocol data unit (PPDU) [Section 0022, 0039: These SAPs (access points) are constructed where the Media Access Control (MAC) layer requests services (i.e. data) from a physical layer (PHY). PPDU and MAC Layer PDU included information and certain fields as shown in Fig. 2], wherein each PPDU [i.e. physical layer data units/PPDU] is formed from a corresponding one of the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 Sections 0044, 0087, 0123: More specifically, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs (i.e. AP devices/actors) where each device includes a MAC and PHY. The PHY module/circuitry using physical layer include PLCP and building packets (i.e. PDUs) and the MAC circuitry handle co-ordination of interactions between the MAC and PHY layers. Wherein the transmitter traffic steering engine distributes MSDUs (MAC Service Data Units) to one or more MAC transmitters and collects MPDUs (MAC Protocol Data Units)].
As to Claim 14. Cariou discloses the system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions and cause the processor to [Section 0161]:
form an aggregated MAC protocol data unit (AMPDU) according to MAC metadata, wherein the AMPDU can include one or more MPDUs [See Claim 2 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the forming a PPDU includes one or more AMPDUs [See Claim 3 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 16. Cariou discloses the system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to execute the instructions and cause the processor to [Section 0161]:
send additional MAC metadata and PHY metadata in a header for the proto-MPDU [See Claim 5 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 17. The system of claim 16, wherein each PHY collocated with a corresponding LMAC applies steering matrices based upon one or more of the additional MAC metadata and/or PHY metadata [See Claim 6 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 19. The system of claim 16, wherein the additional MAC metadata and PHY metadata includes an assigned identifier that is unique across STA actors and a plurality of nearby AP actors within a predetermined neighborhood. [See Claim 9 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 20. Cariou discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to [Section 0125: A non-transitory information storage media having stored thereon one or more instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause a multi-band wireless communications device to perform a method]:
establish an upper upper medium access controller (upper UMAC) [Fig. 4 (Depicts Multi-band controller-440, multi-band upper MAC-420), Sections 0016, 0119-0120: The MAC layer and above the MAC layer is enabled by establishing multiple links that can be aggregated, in a multi-band upper MAC defined in IEEE 802.11ad. A multi-band controller operational to control the multi-band. Wherein the multi-band upper MAC communicates with an upper layer with a MAC SAP (Service Access Point)];
establish a connection, between the upper UMAC and a station (STA) actor [i.e. STA or wireless devices/apparatus], over a plurality of access point actors (AP actors) [Fig. 4 (Depicts Multi-band controller-440, multi-band upper MAC-420), Sections 0003, 0023, 0071: The MAC Layer manages/maintains communications of stations (STA) and access points (APs) by coordinating access to radio channel and utilizing protocols over a wireless medium. A multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided, aggregated links are between stations and multiple APs (access points). MAC SAP (service access point) starts by establishing multi-band link aggregation with STA2 over the links (i.e. over AP actors/devices)],
wherein each of the AP actors [i.e. APs or Access point devices] includes a lower upper medium access controller (UMAC), a lower medium access controller (LMAC), and a physical layer (PHY) [Figs. 1 (Depicts APs with multi-band layer and Low MAC entities), Fig. 3, Sections 0023, 0029, 0044: With this architecture, a multi-band upper-MAC layer is provided at both peer stations and on the AP side or with one or multiple APs. A multi-band device with a multi-band upper-MAC correspond to the multiple lower MAC entities. More specifically, wireless devices can be for example, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs; each device includes a MAC (mac layer) and PHY (physical layer), and a multi-band upper-MAC layer];
transmit [Sections 0110-0111: A multi-band upper Media Access Controller (MAC) portion including: a multi-band transmitter] one or more proto-medium access controller protocol data units (proto-MPDUs) [i.e. Protocol Packets/PDUs/A-MPDU/MSDU] from the upper UMAC to the plurality of AP actors [Fig. 2, Sections 0025, 0050, 0054: This approach utilize buffered packets in the multi-band proxy with sequence number that are steered (i.e. transmitted) to the different APs. As discussed, the device with centralized multi-band upper-MAC entity per band enable flow (i.e. data/traffic) control decisions to be made at the transmission side. When receiving packets from the upper layers, performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption per MACs based on the OSI model and generate multiple MPDUs];
attaching PHY and MAC metadata to the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 (Depicts Metadata (i.e. set of data such as sequence number etc..)), Sections 0044, 0054: Each devices such as APs and STAs include a MAC and PHY interface. Performing transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation, (multi-band) sequence number assignments, integrity/protection, fragmentation, packet number assignments and media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption as illustrated in FIG. 4, then generate multiple MPDUs as a result of packet segmentation],
and form, at each of the plurality of AP actors, a PHY protocol data unit (PPDU) [Section 0022, 0039: These SAPs (access points) are constructed where the Media Access Control (MAC) layer requests services (i.e. data) from a physical layer (PHY). PPDU and MAC Layer PDU included information and certain fields as shown in Fig. 2], wherein each PPDU [i.e. physical layer data units/PPDU], wherein each PPDU [i.e. physical layer data units/PPDU] is formed from a corresponding one of the one or more proto-MPDUs [Figs. 2 (Depicts PPDU-Physical layer PDU and MPDU-MAC layer PDU includes metadata), 4 Sections 0044, 0087, 0123: More specifically, 5 GHz/60 GHz APs (i.e. AP devices/actors) where each device includes a MAC and PHY. The PHY module/circuitry using physical layer include PLCP and building packets (i.e. PDUs) and the MAC circuitry handle co-ordination of interactions between the MAC and PHY layers. Wherein the transmitter traffic steering engine distributes MSDUs (MAC Service Data Units) to one or more MAC transmitters and collects MPDUs (MAC Protocol Data Units)].
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.
2. Claims 7, 11-12, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Cariou et al. US 20220303356 hereafter Cariou in view of KIM et al. US 20180263047 hereafter Kim.
As to Claim 7. Cariou discloses the method of claim 6 [Sections 0005, 0039, 0044: The radio can simultaneously (i.e. same time) transmit and receive using MU-MIMO technology. PPDU and MAC Layer PDU included information and certain fields. Each device includes a MAC (mac layer) and PHY (physical layer), and a multi-band upper-MAC layer],
Cariou doesn’t state the term “beamformed” thus is silent on wherein each PHY transmits a beamformed PPDU at a same time.
However, Kim teaches wherein each PHY transmits a beamformed PPDU at a same time [Sections 0035, 0047, 0147: Access point (AP), transmit data to each of a plurality of stations (STAs) through the same time resource. In the legacy wireless LAN system, the AP capable of performing multiple input multiple output (MU MIMO), the AP may transmit PPDUs to each of the multiple STAs. Also, the trigger frame further include MU PPDU to be used for the transmission and information on beamforming].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to have combined the method of Cariou relating to the devices using MU-MIMO scheme and can simultaneous transmit/receive data such as PPDU (physical layer PDU) with teaching of Kim relating to the device using MU-MIMO to transmit PPDUs including beamforming through same time resource. By combining the method/systems, the device PHY layer can transmit beamformed data (i.e. PDU) at the same time thereby enabling multiple transmissions at the same time to occur without undue experimentation.
As to Claim 11. Cariou discloses the method of claim 9 [Section 0086: The device can further configure frames or packets for communicating over the wireless medium as discussed],
Cariou doesn’t explicitly state wherein the plurality of nearby AP actors initially synchronize to a trigger frame.
However, Kim teaches wherein the plurality of nearby AP actors initially synchronize to a trigger frame [Sections 0009, 0026, 0068: A trigger frame (i.e. data unit) from access point (AP) transmitting, MU PPDU, wherein the trigger frame include identification information and resource allocation information, include identification information of the STA. The BSSs includes set of APs and an STAs which are successfully synchronized to communicate with each other. The L-STF used for frame detection and coarse frequency/time synchronization].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to have combined the method of Cariou relating to the devices can further configure frames or packets for communicating over the wireless medium with teaching of Kim relating to APs/STAs using data units on the basis of trigger frames and synchronization information. By combining the method/systems, the AP devices/actors can synchronize to trigger frame in frequency/time synchronization thereby enabling synchronized communication over the channel/link without undue experimentation.
As to Claim 12. Cariou discloses the method of claim 11, wherein each lower UMAC forms MPDUs and AMPDUs according to the MAC metadata associated with the assigned identifier [Figs. 2, 4, Sections 0029, 0054, 0058: The multi-band device includes multi-band upper-MAC entity corresponding to multiple lower MAC entities. Packets and transmission processing including: A-MSDU aggregation including media access control protocol data unit (MPDU) encryption, the MPDU may include multiple MSDUs as a result of packet aggregation and Packets including: multi-band sequence number (i.e. identifiers) assignments, and packet number (i.e. identifiers) assignments. The low MAC can perform the following functions: MDPU header, A-MPDU aggregation and transmission],
Cariou doesn’t explicitly state and overriding MAC metadata in the trigger frame.
However, Kim teaches and overriding [i.e. changed/varied] MAC metadata in the trigger frame [Sections 0133, 0169: For example, each set of control information of each MAC header field), is indicated based on the MAC indicator field which is then included in the MU PPDU, may be adaptively changed (or varied). The MAC payload (i.e. metadata) include data that is triggered by the AP].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date to have combined the method of Cariou relating to the devices can further configure upper and lower MAC frames or packets/PDU with metadata/payload of information including identifying information with teaching of Kim relating to overriding/changing the header or metatdata/payload of trigger frame. By combining the method/systems, the AP devices/STA can adapt or override information in the header in case the load is large or there is a problem as suggested by Kim.
As to Claim 18. The system of claim 17, wherein each PHY transmits a beamformed PPDU at a same time. [See Claim 7 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. 1. CHITRAKAR et al. US 20250055501
2. Zhou et al. US 20190150214
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February 6, 2026
/JAEL M ULYSSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477