DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
This communication is responsive to the Election made for a Restriction Requirement mailed 2/24/26. The Election was made on 4/20/26.
Applicants have elected, without traverse, to examine group I consisting of claims 1-11 & 19-20. Claims 12-18 are canceled from consideration.
Claim(s) 1-11 & 19-27 are presented for examination.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1-11 & 19-27 is/are unclear to the examiner; what does it mean by stating “encode a multi-user (MU) physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PDU) (MU- PPDU) for transmission, wherein the MU-PPDU comprises a plurality of aggregated media access control (MAC) PDUs (A-MPDUs) addressed to one or more non-low-latency stations (non-LL-STAs)”? The claim languages are not clear what exactly is “encode a MU-PPDU” for? What is a reason of encoding a MU-PPDU and not using it? Please clarify
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7, 10-11, 19-23 & 26-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0082330 A1 in view of Kao, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0145754 A1.
As to claim 1, Park teaches an access point (AP), comprising:
a transceiver configured to enable wireless communication; and
a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver and configured to:
encode a multi-user (MU) physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PDU) (MU- PPDU) for transmission, wherein the MU-PPDU comprises a plurality of aggregated media access control (MAC) PDUs (A-MPDUs) addressed to one or more non-low-latency stations (non-LL-STAs) (Park, page 1, paragraph 17-19; i.e., [0017] the use
network coding for a multi-user OFDMA packet (e.g., an MU PPDU); [0018] multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MU-PPDU) with network coding. In these embodiments, the STA may decode at least portions of a MU-PPDU received from an access point (AP));
transmit, based at least on a determination that low-latency data addressed to a low- latency station (LL-STA) is available at a MAC layer of the AP, a preemption-indicator signal to the LL-STA and at least one non-LL-STA (Park, page 8, paragraph 91-92; i.e., [0091] data packet correctly with a probability of (1-p2) but user 2 will not see
any improvement of reliability (i.e., success rate is (1-p )). If both users' packets are duplicated, then both packets will have increased reliability of (1-p2); [0092] a multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MUPPDU) with network coding, the STA may decode at least portions of a MU-PPDU (see FIG. 10) received from the AP);
identify an A-MPDU of the plurality of A-MPDUs that is scheduled for transmission over a resource unit (RU) designated for transmitting low-latency data (Park, page 6, paragraph 62-63; i.e., [0062] wireless medium ( e.g., during a contention period) to receive exclusive control of the medium for an control period. AP 502
may transmit a master-sync transmission, which may be a trigger frame or control and schedule transmission, at the beginning of the control period. AP 502 may transmit a time
duration of TXOP; [0063] a multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MUPPDU) with network coding, the STA may decode at least portions of a MU-PPDU (see FIG. 10) received from the AP);
transmit, using the transceiver, the updated A-MPDU comprising the at least one LL- MPDU over the RU (Park, page 8, paragraph 91-92; i.e., [0091] data packet correctly with a probability of (1-p2) but user 2 will not see any improvement of reliability (i.e., success rate is (1-p )). If both users' packets are duplicated, then both packets will have increased reliability of (1-p2); [0092] a multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MUPPDU) with network coding, the STA may decode at least portions of a MU-PPDU (see FIG. 10) received from the AP).
But Park failed to teach the claim limitation wherein replace at least one non-low-latency MPDU (non-LL-MPDU) associated with the A- MPDU with at least one low-latency MPDU (LL-MPDU) addressed to the LL-STA to generate an updated A-MPDU.
However, Kao teaches the limitation wherein replace at least one non-low-latency MPDU (non-LL-MPDU) associated with the A- MPDU with at least one low-latency MPDU (LL-MPDU) addressed to the LL-STA to generate an updated A-MPDU (Kao, page 1, paragraph 9; i.e., [0009] replacing higher-latency instructions with
lower-latency equivalents (if they exist)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Park to substitute instruction simplification table from Kao for instructions for execution from Park to dynamically simplify highlatency instructions into simpler, low-latency instructions (Kao, page 1, paragraph 4).
As to claim 2, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1, wherein to transmit the preemption-indicator signal, the processor is further configured to: transmit, using the transceiver, the preemption-indicator signal periodically (Park, page 6, paragraph 62-63; i.e., [0062] wireless medium ( e.g., during a contention period) to receive exclusive control of the medium for an control period. schedule transmission, at the beginning of the control period. AP 502 may transmit a time duration of TXOP; [0063] a multi-user physical layer protocol data unit (MUPPDU) with network coding, the STA may decode at least portions of a MU-PPDU received from the AP).
As to claim 3, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1, wherein the MU-PPDU further comprises a PHY preamble, and the processor is further configured to: encode, in a field of the PHY preamble, information corresponding to a location of the RU (Park, page 7, paragraph 76; i.e., [0076] a single PPDU more than one data packet can be delivered to multiple users. An RU (resource unit), which is a set of subcarriers, is allocated to each user in a MU PPDU (multi-user PPDU) and data for each user is transmitted in the allocated RU).
As to claim 6, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1, wherein at a second time, based at least on a determination that low-latency data is not available at the MAC layer of the AP, the processor is further configured to: transmit, using the transceiver, an orthogonal sequence of an LTF signal over a first subset of tones within an RU during a predetermined time-interval (Park, page 5, paragraph 59; page 7, paragraph 76; i.e., [0059] the bandwidth of the channels is based on 26, 52, 106, 242, 484, 996, or 2x996 active data subcarriers or tones that are spaced by 20 MHz; [0076] a single PPDU more than one data packet can be delivered to multiple users. An RU (resource unit), which is a set of subcarriers, is allocated to each user in a MU PPDU (multi-user PPDU) and data for each user is transmitted in the allocated RU).
As to claim 7, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1, wherein the preemption-indicator signal is transmitted over an entire bandwidth corresponding to the MU-PPDU (Park, page 7, paragraph 76; i.e., [0076] OFDMA (orthogonal frequency division multiple access) was introduced and in a single PPDU more than one data packet can be delivered to multiple users. An RU (resource unit), which is a set of subcarriers, is allocated to each user in a MU PPDU (multi-user PPDU) and data for each user is transmitted in the allocated RU).
As to claim 10, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1, wherein to transmit the preemption-indicator signal, the processor is further configured to transmit, using the transceiver, a predetermined sequence over a first subset of tones within the RU (Park, page 5, paragraph 59; i.e., [0059] The bandwidth of a channel may be 20 MHz, 40 MHz, or 80 MHz, 160 MHz, 320 MHz contiguous bandwidths or an 80+80 MHz (160 MHz) non-contiguous bandwidth; active data subcarriers or tones that are spaced by 20 MHz).
As to claim 11, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 10. But Park-Kao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein transmit, using the transceiver, a sequence orthogonal to the predetermined sequence over the first subset of tones within the RU (Park, page 5, paragraph 59; page 7, paragraph 76; i.e., [0059] the bandwidth of the channels is based on 26, 52, 106, 242, 484, 996, or 2x996 active data subcarriers or tones that are spaced by 20 MHz; [0076] a single PPDU more than one data packet can be delivered to multiple users. An RU (resource unit), which is a set of subcarriers, is allocated to each user in a MU PPDU (multi-user PPDU) and data for each user is transmitted in the allocated RU).
Claim(s) 19-20 are directed to a method claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 1-2. Therefore, claim(s) 19-20 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 1-2.
Claim(s) 21-22 & 26-27 are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 1-3 & 10-11. Therefore, claim(s) 21-22 & 26-27 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 1-3 & 10-11.
Claim(s) 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0082330 A1 in view of Kao, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0145754 A1, and further in view of Liu, US 2010/0260138 A1.
As to claim 4, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1. But Park-Kao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein transmit, using the transceiver, a long training field (LTF) signal over a first subset of tones within the RU.
However, Liu teaches the limitation wherein transmit, using the transceiver, a long training field (LTF) signal over a first subset of tones within the RU (Liu, page 9, paragraph 121-122; i.e., [0121] Very High Throughout (VHT) fields such as VHT Signal Field (VHT-SIG), VHT Short Training Field (VHT-STF), VHT Long Training Field (VHT-LTF).
The sounding packet can include Extended Long Training Fields (E-LTFs); [0122] OFDM tone).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Park-Kao to substitute OFDM tones from Liu for subcarriers from Park-Kao to can use OFDM to transmit and receive signals (Liu, page 1, paragraph 3).
As to claim 5, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 4. But Park-Kao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein to transmit the preemption-indicator signal, the processor is further configured to: transmit, using the transceiver, a portion of a station identifier (STA-ID) corresponding to the LL-STA over a second subset of tones within the RU.
However, Liu teaches the limitation wherein transmit, using the transceiver, a long training field (LTF) signal over a first subset of tones within the RU (Liu, page 9, paragraph 121-122; i.e., [0121] Very High Throughout (VHT) fields such as VHT Signal Field (VHT-SIG), VHT Short Training Field (VHT-STF), VHT Long Training Field (VHT-LTF).
The sounding packet can include Extended Long Training Fields (E-LTFs); [0122] OFDM tone).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Park-Kao to substitute OFDM tones from Liu for subcarriers from Park-Kao to can use OFDM to transmit and receive signals (Liu, page 1, paragraph 3).
Claim(s) 8-9, 24-25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0082330 A1 in view of Kao, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 2023/0145754 A1, and further in view of Ryu, US 2024/0056968 A1.
As to claim 8, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1. But Park-Kao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein at least one A-MPDU of the plurality of A-MPDUs begins with an MU-BAR trigger frame addressed to a respective non-LL-STA.
However, Ryu teaches the limitation wherein at least one A-MPDU of the plurality of A-MPDUs begins with an MU-BAR trigger frame addressed to a respective non-LL-STA (Ryu, page 8, paragraph 129-130; i.e., [0129] BAR/HETP ACK to BA frame or No Ack frame). Note. It can be implicitly defined as the recipient changes the Ack Policy of Implicit BAR/HETP ACK to BA frame (or No Ack frame); [0130] AP may transmit a Multi-TID Block Ack Request frame for both the non-latency-sensitive MPDU and the latency-sensitive MPDU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Park-Kao to substitute OFDM tones from Ryu for subcarriers from Park-Kao to buffered at the first non-AP STA during the TXOP when the time period has expired or a third frame indicating a release of the time period is transmitted (Ryu, page 1, paragraph 17).
As to claim 9, Park-Kao teaches the AP as recited in claim 1. But Park-Kao failed to teach the claim limitation wherein the processor is further configured to: allocate a second RU to receive an uplink block acknowledgement (BA) from the LL-STA.
However, Ryu teaches the limitation wherein the processor is further configured to: allocate a second RU to receive an uplink block acknowledgement (BA) from the LL-STA (Ryu, page 8, paragraph 129-130; i.e., [0129] BAR/HETP ACK to BA frame or No Ack frame). Note. It can be implicitly defined as the recipient changes the Ack Policy of Implicit BAR/HETP ACK to BA frame (or No Ack frame); [0130] AP may transmit a Multi-TID Block Ack Request frame for both the non-latency-sensitive MPDU and the latency-sensitive MPDU).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to modify Park-Kao to substitute OFDM tones from Ryu for subcarriers from Park-Kao to buffered at the first non-AP STA during the TXOP when the time period has expired or a third frame indicating a release of the time period is transmitted (Ryu, page 1, paragraph 17).
Claim(s) 24-25 are directed to a non-transitory computer readable medium claims and they do not teach or further define over the limitations recited in claim(s) 8-9. Therefore, claim(s) 24-25 are also rejected for similar reasons set forth in claim(s) 8-9.
Listing of Relevant Arts
Li, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 20250365609 A1 discloses low latency, decoding the MU PPDU.
Son, U.S. Patent/Pub. No. US 20190306920 A1 discloses A-MPDU, orthogonal sequence, decode the MAC header.
Contact Information
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
THUONG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3864. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00-6:00.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on 571-270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THUONG NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
Prosecution Insights