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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 11-15, filed 07/11/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claims 1,5,7-13,18 and 20, under the combination of Mao, Alloum and Park have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU.
Regarding claim 1, Applicant's arguments filed on 07/11/2026, pages 11-13, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Alloum [0003] concerns an embodiment in which retransmission protocols are deactivated, whereas Alloum [0110] concerns HARQ/FEC operation, and therefore the Office has not provided a sufficient rationale for combining Mao and Alloum.
In response to applicant's argument that Alloum [0003] and [0110] concern different operational embodiments and therefore cannot properly be combined with Mao, the test for obviousness is not whether the features of a secondary reference may be bodily incorporated into the structure of the primary reference; nor is it that the claimed invention must be expressly suggested in any one or all of the references. Rather, the test is what the combined teachings of the references would have suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981).
Alloum is relied upon for teaching the transfer of source information using forward error correction, including the generation and transmission of coded source and parity segments. One or ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that such FEC coding could be applied to Mao’s segmented packet transmission to improve reliability and provide more efficient use of system resources. The fact that Alloum also describes deactivating retransmission in certain implementations does not teach away from employing the disclosed FEC coding, because Alloum does not criticize, discredit, or otherwise discourage the use of FEC.
Regarding claim 14, Applicant argues that Park merely discloses that decoding becomes mathematically possible after a sufficient number of linearly independent encoded packets has been received, but does not disclose initiating decoding ‘as soon as’ that condition is satisfied. This argument is not persuasive.
Park [0052] discloses decoding the encoded packets once a sufficient number of linearly independent encoded packets has been received. In context, ‘once’ indicates that decoding is performed upon satisfaction of the disclosed reception condition, rather than after receipt of additional unnecessary encoded packets. Thus, Park teaches a decoder configured to perform decoding when the threshold number of coded segments has been received, corresponding to performing decoding as soon as the required number of coded segments is available. Applicant’s assertion that the decoder must continuously evaluate the received coded-segment count imports an additional limitation that is not recited in claim 14.
Accordingly, Applicant’s arguments are persuasive with respect to the withdrawn rejection identified above, but are not persuasive with respect to the rejection of claim 14 and its dependent claims.
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, 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.
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 1,5,7-13,18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al. (US 2021/0058826 A1; hereinafter “Mao”), in view of Alloum et al. (US 2024/0250780 A1; hereinafter “Alloum”), and further in view of LIU et al. (US 2018/0278365 A1; hereinafter “LIU”).
Regarding claim 1, Mao teaches a transceiver (FIG. 29 device 2900) configured to transmit at least one source packet in split and coded form ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments, [0058] the node transmits the coded segments toward the destination), comprising:
a splitter (FIG. 29 baseband circuitry 2910 configured to process data units prior to encoding as disclosed in [0319], [0323]) configured to divide the at least one source packet into several source segments ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments, [0055] the node segments the packet into k segments);
an encoder (FIG. 29 baseband circuitry 2910; [0319]) configured to encode the several source segments by coding rule in order to acquire coded segments ([0050] network coding (linear combination) is performed on the segments to produce encoded segments, [0222] linear combinations of segments are formed to produce encoded segments).
However, Mao does not teach a transmitter configured to transmit the coded segments as PHY packets by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots; wherein the coding rule specifies transfer of the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction, and wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches a transmitter (FIG. 6 transmitter 615) configured to transmit the coded segments as PHY packets by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data);
wherein the coding rule specifies transfer of the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction ([0110] discloses HARQ employing forward error correction (FEC), [0133] discloses generating and transmitting coded segments comprising source segments and parity segments, thereby teaching that the coding rule provides for transfer of the plurality of source segments using FEC).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the system of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination of Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1.
In an analogous art, LIU teaches wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced ([0101]-[0103] and FIG. 21-22 disclose mapping code blocks of a transport block in an ordered sequence and applying a lower coding rate or modulation order to the last code block than to the preceding code blocks, thereby teaching that the coding applied to the coded segments transmitted last is reduced).
Therefore, 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 last code block as taught by LIU within the system of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce the processing time for the device by improving spectral efficiency (LIU [0103]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein the plurality of cycles each comprise at least a first and a second subcycle which are transmitted at different frequencies or simultaneously at different frequencies ([0085] discloses that a slot may be divided into multiple mini-slots, [0087] discloses multiplexing using frequency division multiplexing, thereby evidencing transmission over different frequencies within transmission intervals).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein a PHY packet is transmitted over several slots or over several slots of equal frequency ([0137] discloses that communications occur according to a frame structure comprising multiple slots, [0138] discloses downlink transmissions comprising segments or frames transmitted in slots, thereby evidencing transmission of data over multiple slots).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein the coding rule specifies a weighting factor ([0104] discloses applying amplitude or phase offsets defined by a beamforming weigh set, [0107] discloses precoding weights for beamforming, thereby evidencing the use of weighting factors applied to signals).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein in each cycle and/or in each subcycle an area for control commands, in particular for channel code control commands, is provided ([0087] discloses that a control region for a physical control channel (e.g., CORESET) is defined within the transmission resources, [0137] discloses a repeating frame structure including slots, thereby evidencing that an area for control commands is provided within each transmission cycle or subcycle), and
wherein signaling of the transmission of the first and second of the coded segments in the first subcycle and/or of the first and second of the coded segments in a subcycle is in the area for control commands, in particular an empty field, in the area for control commands ([0138] discloses feedback signaling associated with reception of coded segments, [0087] discloses that control information is transmitted via a physical control channel within a defined control region (CORESET), thereby evidencing signaling of coded segment transmissions within an area for control commands).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein the signaling of the transmission of the first and second of the coded segments in the first subcycle and/or of the first and second coded segments in a subcycle is performed via a checksum, a CRC value and/or a CRC-32 value, or the signaling of the transmission of the first and second of the coded segments in the first subcycle and/or of the first and second coded segments is performed via a checksum of a respective subcycle or of an area of a subcycle defined for a specific transmission ([0110] discloses that HARQ procedures include error detection using a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) for transmissions, [0138] discloses feedback signaling associated with reception of downlink segments (e.g., frames, TBs, MAC PDUs), [0087] discloses transmission of control signaling via a physical control channel, thereby evidencing signaling associated with transmission of coded segments using a checksum or CRC value).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Alloum teaches wherein one or more downlink packets or multicast downlink packets are transmitted in each subcycle ([0138] discloses that a network entity transmits downlink transmissions including frames, transport blocks, or MAC PDUs during downlink slots, thereby evidencing transmission of one or more downlink packets during each transmission interval).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Mao teaches a sensor and/or actuator node (FIG. 29 sensor circuitry 2921 and electro-mechanical components (EMCs) 2922) comprising a transceiver according to claim 1, configured to transmit coded segments as an uplink in an uplink area of the respective subcycle assigned to the node ([0284] discloses baseband circuitry and radio front-end modules (transceiver), [0050] a packet is divided into segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments, [0051] distributing packet segments between nodes along network paths, thereby evidencing transmission of coded segments by a node).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU, specifically Mao teaches a master node (FIG. 28 RAN node 2800; [0050] destination node) comprising a transceiver according to claim 1, configured to receive coded segments from the uplink and/or to transmit a packet in downlink ([0050] a packet is divided into segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments that are distributed across multiple paths and accumulated at a destination node, [0284] discloses baseband circuitry and radio front-end modules (transceiver)).
Regarding claim 18, Mao teaches a method ([0300] methods) of operating a transceiver (FIG. 29 device 2900) according to claim 1, comprising:
transmitting, in a split and coded form, at least one source packet ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments, [0058] the node transmits the coded segments toward the destination), comprising the following substeps:
dividing the at least one source packet into a plurality of source segments ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments, [0055] the node segments the packet into k segments);
encoding the plurality of source segments by coding rule to acquire coded segments ([0050] network coding (linear combination) is performed on the segments to produce encoded segments, [0222] linear combinations of segments are formed to produce encoded segments);
However, Mao does not teach transmitting the coded segments as PHY packets by means of several cycles each comprising several subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots; wherein the coding rule specifies transferring the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction, and wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches transmitting the coded segments as PHY packets by means of several cycles each comprising several subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data);
wherein the coding rule specifies transferring the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction ([0110] HARQ includes a forward error correction (FEC), [0133] discloses generation of coded segments including source and parity segment for transmission, thereby transfer of source segments using forward error correction).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination of Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1.
In an analogous art, LIU teaches wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced ([0101]-[0103] and FIG. 21-22 disclose mapping code blocks of a transport block in an ordered sequence and applying a lower coding rate or modulation order to the last code block than to the preceding code blocks, thereby teaching that the coding applied to the coded segments transmitted last is reduced).
Therefore, 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 last code block as taught by LIU within the system of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce the processing time for the device by improving spectral efficiency (LIU [0103]).
Regarding claim 20, Mao teaches a non-transitory digital storage medium ([0297] FIG. 29 Application circuitry 2905 includes a memory) having a computer program stored thereon to perform a method ([0300]) of operating a transceiver (FIG. 29 device 2900) according to claim 1, comprising:
transmitting, in a split and coded form, at least one source packet ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments, [0058] the node transmits the coded segments toward the destination), comprising the following substeps:
dividing the at least one source packet into a plurality of source segments ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments, [0055] the node segments the packet into k segments);
encoding the plurality of source segments by coding rule to acquire coded segments ([0050] network coding (linear combination) is performed on the segments to produce encoded segments, [0222] linear combinations of segments are formed to produce encoded segments).
However, Mao does not teach transmitting the coded segments as PHY packets by means of several cycles each comprising several subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots; wherein the coding rule specifies transferring the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction, and wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1, when the computer program is run by a computer.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches transmitting the coded segments as PHY packets by means of several cycles each comprising several subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data);
wherein the coding rule specifies transferring the plurality of source segments by means of forward error correction ([0110] HARQ includes a forward error correction (FEC), [0133] discloses generation of coded segments including source and parity segment for transmission, thereby transfer of source segments using forward error correction).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination of Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1, when the computer program is run by a computer.
In an analogous art, LIU teaches wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the last PHY packet is reduced ([0101]-[0103] and FIG. 21-22 disclose mapping code blocks of a transport block in an ordered sequence and applying a lower coding rate or modulation order to the last code block than to the preceding code blocks, thereby teaching that the coding applied to the coded segments transmitted last is reduced), when the computer program is run by a computer ([0118] a computer program product for being executable by one or more processors to perform the operations).
Therefore, 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 last code block as taught by LIU within the system of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce the processing time for the device by improving spectral efficiency (LIU [0103]).
Claims 14-15,19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao, in view of Alloum, and further in view of Park (US 2017/0117987 A1).
Regarding claim 14, Mao teaches a further transceiver (FIG. 28 RAN node 2800) configured to receive at least one source packet which is split and coded ([0050] a packet is broken into several segments and network coding is performed to produce encoded segments, [0058] the node transmits the coded segments toward the destination), comprising:
a decoder (FIG. 28 baseband circuitry 2810; [0319]) configured to decode the coded segments in order to acquire source segments ([0050] discloses that network coding generates encoded segments from packet segments and that a destination node accumulates encoded segments in order to recover the original packet segments);
a combiner (FIG. 28 baseband circuitry 2810) configured to assemble the source segments to form at least one source packet ([0050] discloses that a packet is divided into several segments and that the destination node recovers the original packet once sufficient encoded segments corresponding to the segments are accumulated);
However, Mao does not teach a receiver configured to receive several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots; wherein the decoder is configured to perform decoding as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches a receiver (FIG. 6 receiver 610) configured to receive several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein the decoder is configured to perform decoding as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments.
In an analogous art, Park teaches wherein the decoder is configured to perform decoding as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments ([0045] discloses encoding original packets into a plurality of encoded packets using an encoding matrix, [0052] further discloses that the decoding apparatus recovers the original packets from the encoded packets using the encoding matrix by Gauss-Jordan elimination. Since Gauss-Jordan elimination solves a system of linear equations, a number k of encoded packets that is equal to the number n of original packets is sufficient to recover the n original packets).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the parameter of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Mao, Alloum and Park, specifically Park teaches wherein the decoder uses a coding matrix and/or submatrices derivable from the coding matrix for decoding ([0037] discloses the decoding apparatus uses the encoding matrix to recover the original packets, [0052] discloses decoding using the encoding matrix by Gauss Jordan Elimination).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the parameter of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Regarding claim 19, a method ([0287] methods) of operating a transceiver (FIG. 28 RAN node 2800) according to claim 14, comprising:
decoding the coded segments to acquire source segments ([0050] discloses that network coding generates encoded segments from packet segments and that a destination node accumulates encoded segments in order to recover the original packet segments);
assembling the source segments to form at least one source packet ([0050] discloses that a packet is divided into several segments and that the destination node recovers the original packet once sufficient encoded segments corresponding to the segments are accumulated);
However, Mao does not teach receiving several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots; wherein decoding takes place as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches receiving several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein decoding takes place as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments.
In an analogous art, Park teaches wherein decoding takes place as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments ([0045] discloses encoding original packets into a plurality of encoded packets using an encoding matrix, [0052] further discloses that the decoding apparatus recovers the original packets from the encoded packets using the encoding matrix by Gauss-Jordan elimination. Since Gauss-Jordan elimination solves a system of linear equations, a number k of encoded packets that is equal to the number n of original packets is sufficient to recover the n original packets).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the parameter of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Regarding claim 21, a non-transitory digital storage medium having a computer program stored thereon to perform a method ([0287] FIG. 28 Application circuitry 2805 includes a memory to perform methods) of operating a transceiver (FIG. 28 RAN node 2800) according to claim 14, comprising:
decoding the coded segments to acquire source segments; assembling the source segments to form at least one source packet ([0050] discloses that network coding generates encoded segments from packet segments and that a destination node accumulates encoded segments in order to recover the original packet segments).
However, Mao does not teach receiving several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots.
In an analogous art, Alloum teaches receiving several PHY packets, each PHY packet comprising a coded segment and being transmitted by means of a plurality of cycles each comprising a plurality of subcycles, each subcycle comprising several slots ([0116] generation and distribution coded packets for transmission, [0061] rules applied when outer coding is used, [0148] further teaches that the network configures parameters including rules governing feedback and operation based on the coded transmission, thereby transmission behavior governed by rules associated with the coded data).
Therefore, 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 coded packet as taught by Alloum within the parameter of Mao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve power savings and more efficient use of system resources (Alloum [0003]).
However, the combination Mao and Alloum does not teach wherein decoding takes place as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments.
In an analogous art, Park teaches wherein decoding takes place as soon as a number k of coded segments has been received, wherein the number k corresponds to at least a number n of the source segments ([0045] discloses encoding original packets into a plurality of encoded packets using an encoding matrix, [0052] further discloses that the decoding apparatus recovers the original packets from the encoded packets using the encoding matrix by Gauss-Jordan elimination. Since Gauss-Jordan elimination solves a system of linear equations, a number k of encoded packets that is equal to the number n of original packets is sufficient to recover the n original packets), when the computer program is run by a computer ([0068] a program that may be executed on the computer).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the parameter of Mao and Alloum. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao, in view of Alloum, in view of LIU, and further in view of Park.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU dose not teach wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the first PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1.
In an analogous art, Park teaches wherein the coding rule specifies an order such that a coding degree of the coded segments transmitted in the first PHY packet is reduced or reduced to coding degree 1 ([0045]-[0046] discloses an encoding matrix in which the mth encoding vector has non-zero elements in the first through mth columns and zero elements thereafter, such that the first encoding vector contains only one non-zero element and therefore produces a first coded packet having a reduced coding degree, including coding degree 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the system of Mao, Alloum and LIU. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Mao, Alloum, LIU and Park, specifically Park teaches wherein the coding rule is in the form of a coding matrix, wherein the coding matrix specifies the coding degree 1 at least for the first and/or last coded segment ([0045] discloses an encoding matrix in which the mth encoding vector has non-zero elements in the first to mth columns and zeros thereafter, whereby the first encoding vector contains a single non-zero element, resulting in coding degree 1 for the first coded segment).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the system of Mao, Alloum and LIU. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Mao, Alloum, LIU and Park, specifically Park teaches wherein a number k of n coded segments is sufficient for decoding the n source segments if the number k is at least equal to or greater than a number n of the source segments ([0045] discloses encoding original packets into a plurality of encoded packets using an encoding matrix, [0052] further discloses that the decoding apparatus recovers the original packets from the encoded packets using the encoding matrix by Gauss-Jordan elimination. Since Gauss-Jordan elimination solves a system of linear equations, a number k of encoded packets that is equal to or greater than the number n of original packets is sufficient to recover the n original packets).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify an encoding matrix as taught by Park within the system of Mao, Alloum and LIU. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce delay times and recover the loss of packets to enhance data transmission quality (Park [0034]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao, in view of Alloum, in view of LIU, and further in view of Jacobsson et al. (US 2024/0372667 A1; hereinafter “Jacobsson”).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Mao, Alloum and LIU does not teach wherein the different frequencies form a frequency hopping pattern over several cycles and/or per cycle and/or per subcycle; and/or wherein the frequency hopping pattern is predefined.
In an analogous art, Jacobsson teaches wherein the different frequencies form a frequency hopping pattern over several cycles and/or per cycle and/or per subcycle; and/or wherein the frequency hopping pattern is predefined ([0071] frequency hopping pattern may be configured. The start position per frequency hop may vary over symbols and slots according to a predefined pattern).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a predefined pattern as taught by Jacobsson within the parameter of Mao, Alloum and LIU. One would have been motivated to do so in order to improve the random-access speed and reduce random access failure rates with benefits such as faster and reliable random access (Jacobsson [0352]).
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao, in view of Alloum, in view of Park, and further in view of SUMMERSON et al. (US 2013/0230058 A1; hereinafter “SUMMERSON”).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Mao, Alloum and Park does not teach wherein reducing is performed by excluding from the inverse matrices or submatrices associated with a certain PHY packet if the certain PHY packet is not received, or by using the inverse matrices or submatrices associated with a certain PHY packet if the particular PHY packet is received.
In an analogous art, SUMMERSON teaches wherein reducing is performed by excluding from the inverse matrices or submatrices associated with a certain PHY packet if the certain PHY packet is not received, or by using the inverse matrices or submatrices associated with a certain PHY packet if the particular PHY packet is received ([0030] discloses that a network code matrix is generated that maps k message packets to N encoded packets and that recovery of the original packets depends on whether a subset of encoded packets corresponds to linearly independent columns of the network code matrix, thereby evidencing the use of a coding matrix and submatrices derived therefrom for decoding).
Therefore, 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 network code matrix as taught by SUMMERSON within the parameter of Mao, Alloum and Park. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce the number of retransmissions to improve the capacity and efficiency of network transmission (SUMMERSON [0003]).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Mao, Alloum, Park and SUMMERSON, specifically SUMMERSON teaches wherein the decoder is configured to perform partial decoding based on already received coded packets using the retained and/or retained inverse matrices or reduced partial matrices ([0054] discloses that a known network code matrix A may be used and that the inverse of the network code matrix A may be pre-computed and optimized at the receiver, indicating that the receiver retains the coding matrix or related matrices for decoding).
Therefore, 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 network code matrix as taught by SUMMERSON within the parameter of Mao, Alloum and Park. One would have been motivated to do so in order to reduce the number of retransmissions to improve the capacity and efficiency of network transmission (SUMMERSON [0003]).
Conclusion
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2017/0012905 A1 (Ho et al.) discloses the use of packet coding-based protocols for communication over packet switched networks.
US 2023/0246741 A1 (Wu et al.) discloses a data processing method and device in a passive optical network system.
US 2024/0015586 A1 (LEUNG et al.) discloses apparatuses for predictive adaptation for a wireless link.
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/T.I./ Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/UN C CHO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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