DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to claims filed on 29 June 2026.
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 Amendment
Claims 1-20 were pending in the previous Office action mailed on 28 April 2026.
Claims 1, 7-10, 15, and 17-20 have been amended by amendments filed on 29 June 2026.
Claims 1-20 remain pending for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 29 June 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-7, 10-14, 16, and 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments, see p. 8 of Applicant Remarks, filed 29 June 2026, with respect to claims 8-9, 15, and 17 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of 28 April 2026 has been withdrawn with respect to claims 8-9, 15, and 17.
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.
Claims 1-4, 10-13, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (WO 2020/048331, citing US 2021/0185711 as its English equivalent, previously cited, hereinafter Zhang) in view of Gostev et al. (US 2020/0205031, hereinafter Gostev).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhang discloses a method implemented by a master device, the method comprising:
receiving, from the first slave device, a communication request to perform data transmission with the second slave device (Fig. 2 and ¶¶ 105-108 and 114 disclose a network device (ND) receiving a first request message from a first communications device (Src) requesting the ND to schedule a resource for transmission of sidelink (SL) information between the Src and a second communications device (Dst); Fig. 3 and ¶ 137 also disclose ND receiving a request message from the Src); and
sending, in response to the communication request, resource configuration information (Fig. 2 and ¶¶ 120-123 disclose the ND sending first indication information to the Src; Fig. 3 and ¶ 145 disclose the ND sending a third indication responsive to the second request to the Src) indicating a target air interface resource for data transmission between the first slave device and the second slave device (¶ 120 discloses the first indication information as indicating a second resource; ¶ 117 disclose the second resource as a resource for transmission of SL information between the Src and Dst; ¶ 100 discloses communication between Src and Dst as initiated on a SL and wherein unicast transmission between Src and Dst are on the SL — thus, the second resource is a SL air interface resource; and ¶¶ 143 and 147 disclose the third indication information as indicating a third resource for communication between the Src and Dst).
Zhang may not explicitly disclose:
establishing a first communication link with a first slave device and a second communication link with a second slave device; and
receiving, from the first slave device after establishing the first communication link and the second communication link, a communication request to perform data transmission with the second slave device.
However, in analogous art, Gostev discloses:
establishing a first communication link with a first slave device and a second communication link with a second slave device (Fig. 11 and ¶ 61 disclose initialization where a source device and sink devices are configured for wireless communication establishing transmission/reception slots for source-to-audio bud (S2B) and audio bud-to-audio bud (B2B) communications); and
receiving, from the first slave device after establishing the first communication link and the second communication link, a communication request to perform data transmission with the second slave device (Fig. 11 and ¶ 61 disclose sink devices exchanging link statistics for S2B and B2B links for negotiating primary/secondary sink device roles between the sink devices allowing for the sink device having the best source reception may become the primary sink device and the remaining sink device may then be designated as the secondary sink device — in order for the disclosed link statistics to exist as described, the source device must have an established link with each sink device prior to negotiation to determine which of the sink devices would be the primary sink device, wherein “negotiation” at least implies a message functioning as a request being received by the source from a sink device seeking to be installed in the primary sink device role).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Gostev to modify Zhang in order to have an established connection between a master and its slaves before a first slave requests resources for communicating with the second slave. One would have been motivated to do this, because determining sink device roles based on link statistics between the sink devices and source device enables and facilitates determination of which sink device should hold which sink device role, thereby facilitating communication between the sink devices (Gostev ¶ 61), resulting in a high likelihood of success for the combination of Zhang and Gostev.
Regarding Claim 2, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 1.
Zhang further discloses wherein the target air interface resource comprises a target frequency domain resource or a target time domain resource (¶ 111 discloses the first resource indicated in the request message as a time-frequency resource; ¶¶ 117-120 disclose the ND as scheduling the second resource to be used for sidelink transmission between the Src and Dst; and ¶ 128 discloses that the first resource is the resource used for transmitting the request message to the ND and that the second resource is to be used for transmission between Src and Dst — thus, the second resource being of the same type of resource as the first resource is at least implied, wherein that type of resource is explicitly disclosed as a time-frequency resource).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 2.
Zhang further discloses wherein the resource configuration information comprises clock synchronization information, an offset value of the target time domain resource relative to a specified moment, or a duration of the target time domain resource when the target air interface resource comprises the target time domain resource, and wherein the clock synchronization information indicates to keep clock synchronization with the master device (¶¶ 111, 117-120, and 128 disclose, as provided above, that the second resource is a time-frequency resource, which is understood to be a resource defined in time and frequency — thus, the time-frequency resource, itself, indicates a duration of the time-frequency resource).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 2.
Zhang further discloses wherein the resource configuration information comprises frequency indication information that indicates the target frequency domain resource when the target air interface resource comprises the target frequency domain resource (¶¶ 111, 117-120, and 128 disclose, as provided above, that the second resource is a time-frequency resource, which is understood to be a resource defined in time and frequency — thus, the time-frequency resource, itself, indicates a frequency of the time-frequency resource).
Regarding Claim 10, Zhang discloses a method implemented by a first slave device, the method comprising:
receiving, from a master device, after the master device has established communication links with the first slave device and a second slave device, and in response to a communication request, resource configuration information indicating a target air interface resource for data transmission between the first slave device and the second slave device, wherein the communication request requests the first slave device to perform data transmission with the second slave device; and
performing, using the target air interface resource, data transmission with the second slave device.
Zhang may not explicitly disclose:
receiving, from a master device, after the master device has established communication links with the first slave device and a second slave device, and in response to a communication request, resource configuration information.
However, in analogous art, Gostev discloses:
receiving, from a master device, after the master device has established communication links with the first slave device and a second slave device, and in response to a communication request, resource configuration information (Fig. 11 and ¶ 61 disclose initialization where a source device and sink devices are configured for wireless communication establishing transmission/reception slots for source-to-audio bud (S2B) and audio bud-to-audio bud (B2B) communications, and sink devices exchanging link statistics for S2B and B2B links for negotiating primary/secondary sink device roles between the sink devices allowing for the sink device having the best source reception may become the primary sink device and the remaining sink device may then be designated as the secondary sink device — in order for the disclosed link statistics to exist as described, the source device must have an established link with each sink device prior to negotiation to determine which of the sink devices would be the primary sink device, wherein “negotiation” at least implies a message functioning as a request being received by the source from a sink device seeking to be installed in the primary sink device role, and “designation” at least implies a sink device receiving a message from the source device indicating that the sink device is designated as the primary sink device).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Gostev to modify Zhang in order to have an established connection between a master and its slaves before a first slave requests resources for communicating with the second slave. One would have been motivated to do this, because determining sink device roles based on link statistics between the sink devices and source device enables and facilitates determination of which sink device should hold which sink device role, thereby facilitating communication between the sink devices (Gostev ¶ 61), resulting in a high likelihood of success for the combination of Zhang and Gostev.
Regarding Claims 11-13, though of varying scope, the limitations of claims 11-13 are substantially similar or identical to those of claims 2-4, and are rejected under the same reasoning.
Regarding Claim 16, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 10.
Zhang further discloses wherein before receiving the resource configuration information, the method further comprises sending the communication request to the master device (Figs. 2, 3, and ¶¶ 106 and 137 discloses the ND receiving the request message from the Src).
Regarding Claim 20, though of a different scope, the limitations of claim 20 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 1, and is rejected under the same reasoning. Further, Zhang, at Fig. 16 and ¶¶ 277-280, discloses the ND of Fig. 2 as including a receiver, transmitter, and processor.
Claims 5, 14, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Gostev as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Batta (US 2022/0295287, previously cited).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 1.
Zhang-Gostev may not explicitly disclose wherein the resource configuration information comprises security protection information, and wherein the security protection information indicates an encryption manner, an encryption algorithm, or a key.
However, in analogous art, Batta discloses wherein the resource configuration information comprises security protection information, and wherein the security protection information indicates an encryption manner, an encryption algorithm, or a key (¶¶ 18-19 disclose electronic devices a sink device comprising a hearable device such as wireless earbuds; Figs. 2A, 2B, ¶¶ 62-70 disclose a source device discovering wireless earbuds while in a discoverable mode and the wireless earbuds entering a pairing mode, the source device connecting to the wireless earbuds, receiving a public/private key pair from a remote system in response to connected to the wireless earbuds, and sending the public/private key pair; and Fig. 13A and ¶ 123 disclose wherein the various electronic devices (e.g., the sink device comprising wireless earbuds) use the configured connection data to communication with each other).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Batta to modify Zhang-Gostev in order to for a network device to be embodied as a source device configuring sink devices for BLUETOOTH communication between them by providing a key pair to sink devices. One would have been motivated to do this, because the provision of security information, such as public, private, or (Batta ¶ 62).
Regarding Claim 14, though of a different scope, the limitations of claim 14 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 5, and is rejected under the same reasoning.
Regarding Claim 18, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 10.
Zhang-Gostev may not explicitly disclose wherein the communication request is from the second slave device to the master device.
However, in analogous art, Batta discloses wherein the communication request is from the second slave device to the master device (¶ 45 discloses the sink device, comprising the earbuds, as periodically generating and transmitting advertisement messages that are received by the source device — thus, at least implying that advertisement messages are received from each earbud by the source device).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Batta to modify Zhang-Gostev in order to for a network device to be embodied as a source device configuring sink devices for BLUETOOTH communication between them by providing a key pair to sink devices. One would have been motivated to do this, because the provision of security information, such as public, private, or encryption keys, during connection establishment may help the sink devices and source device to be effectively paired (Batta ¶ 62).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Gostev as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Dong (US 2023/0269012, previously cited).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 1.
Zhang-Gostev may not explicitly disclose wherein sending the resource configuration information comprises:
broadcasting the resource configuration information; or
separately sending the resource configuration information to the first slave device and the second slave device.
However, in analogous art, Dong discloses wherein sending the resource configuration information comprises:
broadcasting the resource configuration information (Fig. 5 and ¶¶ 150-152 disclose a broadcast source broadcasting periodic advertising (PA)); or
separately sending the resource configuration information to the first slave device and the second slave device (Fig. 5 and ¶¶ 152-153 discloses a broadcast assistant (BA) instructing a left earbud and right earbud to synchronize to the PA sent by a broadcast source and to synchronize to a Broadcast Isochronous Stream (BIS) corresponding to their respective channels, separately, and the BA transferring synchronization information and broadcast codes to the left and right earbuds separately — at least implying that such provision is by unicast, since the left earbud is disclosed as instructed to synchronize to a left channel and the right earbud is disclosed as synchronized to a right channel).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Dong to modify Zhang-Gostev in order to provide configuration information from a network/source device to the Src and Dst embodied as earbuds together as a broadcast of a periodic advertisement for synchronization, or separately as unicast transmission to provide each earbud with corresponding configuration/synchronization information. One would have been motivated to do this, because such provisions may help implement features of Low Energy Bluetooth audio technology allowing for higher quality, more efficient audio, ability to transmit multiple audio streams simultaneously, including left, right, and mono audio streams, Bluetooth audio broadcast functionality, and ability to transmit audio over Bluetooth Low Energy (Dong ¶¶ 61-65 and 148).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhang-Gostev-Dong disclose the method of claim 6.
Zhang-Gostev may not explicitly disclose wherein broadcasting the resource configuration information comprises broadcasting, in a periodic event, a synchronization frame that carries the resource configuration information.
However, in analogous art, Dong discloses wherein broadcasting the resource configuration information comprises broadcasting, in a periodic event, a synchronization frame that carries the resource configuration information (Fig. 5 and ¶¶ 150-152 disclose a broadcast source broadcasting periodic advertising (PA)).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Dong to modify Zhang-Gostev in order to provide configuration information from a network/source device to the Src and Dst embodied as earbuds together as a broadcast of a periodic advertisement for synchronization, or separately as unicast transmission to provide each earbud with corresponding configuration/synchronization information. One would have been motivated to do this, because such provisions may help implement features of Low Energy Bluetooth audio technology allowing for higher quality, more efficient audio, ability to transmit multiple audio streams simultaneously, including left, right, and mono audio streams, Bluetooth audio broadcast functionality, and ability to transmit audio over Bluetooth Low Energy (Dong ¶¶ 61-65 and 148).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang-Gostev as applied to claim 10 above, and further in view of Dong and Zheng et al. (US 2021/0211853, hereinafter Zheng).
Regarding Claim 19, Zhang-Gostev disclose the method of claim 10.
Zhang-Gostev may not explicitly disclose wherein the first slave device and the second slave device are binaural true wireless stereo (TWS) BLUETOOTH headsets, and wherein the data transmission comprises transmitting data that comprises playback synchronization information, volume synchronization information, headset location information, headset battery level information, configuration synchronization information, or interference information.
However, in analogous art, Dong discloses wherein the first slave device and the second slave device are binaural true wireless stereo (TWS) BLUETOOTH headsets (¶ 144 discloses that the disclosed audio control method may be applied to switching between monaural playback and binaural playback for TWS Bluetooth headsets).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Dong to modify Zhang-Gostev in order to apply Zhang’s disclosure to a scenario involving TWS Bluetooth earbuds providing binaural stereo playback to a user. One would have been motivated to do this, because such provisions may help implement features of Low Energy Bluetooth audio technology allowing for higher quality, more efficient audio, ability to transmit multiple audio streams simultaneously, including left, right, and mono audio streams, Bluetooth audio broadcast functionality, and ability to transmit audio over Bluetooth Low Energy (Dong ¶¶ 61-65 and 148).
Zhang-Gostev-Dong may not explicitly disclose wherein the data transmission comprises transmitting data that comprises playback synchronization information, volume synchronization information, headset location information, headset battery level information, configuration synchronization information, or interference information
However, in analogous art, Zheng discloses wherein the data transmission comprises transmitting data that comprises playback synchronization information, volume synchronization information, headset location information, headset battery level information, configuration synchronization information, or interference information (Fig. 2, ¶¶ 47 and 51 disclose two earbuds, which may switch which one is the “primary” earbud, as providing control information directly to each other via a Bluetooth protocol, wherein the control information may only include changed/necessary control information, including synchronization information (e.g., clock and frequency hopping).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Zheng to modify Zhang-Gostev-Dong in order to provide direct communication of control information, including synchronization information, between binaural TWS Bluetooth earbuds. One would have been motivated to do this, because such direct communication of control information may help minimize the number of Bluetooth transmission requests to a data source device, thereby significantly reducing the design complexity of the Bluetooth headset device (earbuds) (Zheng ¶ 47).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9, 15, and 17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not teach or suggest the ordered combination of all of the features of at least dependent claims 8-9, 15, and 17. Specifically, the prior art of record fails to disclose with regard to claims 8 and 15, the master device sending a first data frame including resource configuration information in a first time domain resource reserved in a period event for the master device to send service data to the first slave device; and with regard to claims 9 and 17, the master device receiving the communication request from the first slave in a time domain resource reserved in a periodic event, in ordered combination with all the other features of at least any one of the independent claims.
The prior art of record was found to be the closest prior art to the claimed invention of the objected to dependent claims. However, none of the prior art of record appears to disclose the subject matter indicated above.
Therefore, claims 8-9, 15, and 17 are objected to as including allowable subject matter but depending on a rejected claim, and would be allowed if rewritten in independent form.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Callaway, Jr. et al. (US 6,275,500), at Fig. 13 and Col. 5 Lines 9-32, discloses a master polling slave devices in an unparked mode, then the master receiving a request from a first slave for communicating with a second slave, and finally the master designating resources to set the slaves into a parked mode and for communication between the slaves.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS R CAIRNS whose telephone number is (571)270-0487. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM ET M-F.
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/Thomas R Cairns/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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