DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having application No 18/638151 filed on 07/06/2026 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3-4, 8-10, 12-15, and 17-20 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Cariou et al. (U.S 20250184973, Jun. 5, 2025) in view of Yang et al. (US 20240340701, Oct. 10, 2024).
Regarding Claim 1, Cariou discloses determining that an urgent PPDU should be transmitted during the TXOP (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TXOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TXOP));
and enabling, before transmission of all of the two or more PPDUs during the TXOP, transmission of the urgent PPDU(page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic), the STA that had the scheduled pause restart its PPDU until the next pause); receiving a block acknowledgement (BA) for the urgent PPDU(page 4, par(0056-0057), line 1-20, the BA(block acknowledgement) contain a BA response for packets that have been successfully received, send a first PPDU which is preempted after a data portion to use the medium for a more urgent packet); and receiving a single BA for at least two of the two or more PPDUs (page 4, par(0056-0057), line 1-20, the BA(block acknowledgement) contain a BA response for packets that have been successfully received, send a first PPDU which is preempted after a data portion to use the medium for a more urgent packet. At the end of the urgent packet transmission, the initiator that retrieves the medium control can send a PPDU which is an A-PPDU with the remaining data portions. If operating with mode 1, and if supported by the receiver, the data portions received from the first PPDU before preemption and the second PPDU received after the preemption appended together to form the MAC payload that the MAC will detect at the end of the second PPDU, the STA send an immediate BA block acknowledgement) that acks the entire PPDU).
Cariou discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP).
Yang is the same field of invention teaches during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) (page 5, par (0046), line 1-5, the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP).
Cariou and Yang are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of access to a service device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the based on during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) teaching of Cariou to include the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP teaching of Yang because it is providing the PHY
designs that accommodate latency reduction schemes.
Regarding Claim 3, Cariou discloses after enabling the transmission of the urgent PPDU, transmitting at least two of the two or more PPDUs(page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic), wherein receiving the single BA comprises receiving the single BA for the two of the two or more PPDUs(page 4, par (0057), line 5-10, the BA(block acknowledgement) contain a BA response only for packets that have been successfully received, the initiator send a first PPDU to use the medium for a more urgent packet, that retrieves the medium control can send a PPDU which is an A-PPDU with the remaining data portions).
Regarding Claim 4, Cariou discloses determining that the urgent PPDU should be transmitted during the TXOP comprises determining that the urgent PPDU with an approximately 1 millisecond delay bound should be transmitted during the TXOP (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms (1 millisecond) and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TxOP)).
Regarding Claim 8, Cariou discloses after enabling the transmission of the urgent PPDU, transmitting at least one of the two or more PPDUs (page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic)).
Regarding Claim 9, Cariou discloses prior to transmitting any of the two or more PPDUs, negotiating a procedure for transmitting a preemption request to indicate that an urgent PPDU should be transmitted (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs).
Regarding Claim 10, Cariou discloses the procedure indicates a reference in a TXOP from which to transmit a preemption request (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium).
Regarding Claim 12, Cariou discloses enabling the transmission of the urgent PPDU comprises receiving, by an access point from a station, a preemption request for transmission of the urgent PPDU (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs).
Regarding Claim 13, Cariou discloses enabling the transmission of the urgent PPDU comprises waiting, by a station from an access point, for a resumption indication (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TxOP)).
Regarding Claim 14, Cariou discloses a first number of BAs received for the two or more PPDUs is less than a second number of PPDUs in the two or more PPDUs(page 4, par (0057), line 5-10, the BA contain a BA response only for packets that have been successfully received, the initiator send a first PPDU to use the medium for a more urgent packet, that retrieves the medium control can send a PPDU which is an A-PPDU with the remaining data portions).
Regarding Claim 15, Cariou discloses wherein a time gap exists between two adjacent PPDUs of the two or more PPDUs in the TXOP(page 2, par(0025), line 1-20, A mode where there is full continuity between the MAC payload in consecutive data portions(between two adjacent PPDUs), a mode where a MAC and PHY padding at the end of each data portion in order to end a data portion on a same time boundary(time gap exists) between the data portions and the PPDU s or A-PPDUs, there a pause between two data portions);
determining that an urgent PPDU should be transmitted during the TXOP (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TxOP));
and transmitting, before transmission of all of the two or more PPDUs during the TXOP, the urgent PPDU that has a duration that fits in a TXOP and that was not included in the two or more PPDUs(page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic), the STA that had the scheduled pause restart its PPDU until the next pause).
Cariou discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except transmitting, during a transmission opportunity (TXOP), a first physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) of two or more PPDUs each of which are scheduled for transmission during the TXOP.
Yang is the same field of invention teaches transmitting, during a transmission opportunity (TXOP), a first physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) of two or more PPDUs each of which are scheduled for transmission during the TXOP TXOP (page 5, par (0046), line 1-5, the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP).
Cariou and Yang are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of access to a service device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the based on during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) teaching of Cariou to include the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP teaching of Yang because it is providing the PHY
designs that accommodate latency reduction schemes.
Regarding Claim 17, Cariou discloses determining that an urgent PPDU should be transmitted during the TXOP (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TXOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TXOP)),
wherein each of the two or more PPDUs comprises a preamble and a data field (page 4, par(0060), line 1-20, the time domain preemption device generate a frame comprising a preamble and a data payload) and wherein a time gap exists between every two adjacent PPDUs of the two or more PPDUs(page 2, par(0025), line 1-20, A mode where there is full continuity between the MAC payload in consecutive data portions(between two adjacent PPDUs), a mode where a MAC and PHY padding at the end of each data portion in order to end a data portion on a same time boundary(time gap exists) between the data portions and the PPDU s or A-PPDUs, there a pause between two data portions);
and enabling, before transmission of all of the two or more PPDUs during the TXOP, transmission of the urgent PPDU(page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic), the STA that had the scheduled pause restart its PPDU until the next pause).
Cariou discloses all aspects of the claimed invention, except perform operations comprising during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP).
Yang is the same field of invention teaches perform operations comprising during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) (page 5, par (0046), line 1-5, the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP).
Cariou and Yang are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor of access to a service device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the based on during transmission of two or more physical layer protocol data units (PPDUs) during a transmission opportunity (TXOP) teaching of Cariou to include the one or more other PPDUs (two or more PPDUs) are output in a single transmission during the TXOP teaching of Yang because it is providing the PHY
designs that accommodate latency reduction schemes.
Regarding Claim 18, Cariou discloses operations comprising: receiving a block acknowledgement (BA) for the urgent PPDU(page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic (urgent PPDU)); and receiving a single BA for at least two of the two or more PPDUs(page 4, par (0057), line 5-10, the BA contain a BA response only for packets that have been successfully received, the initiator send a first PPDU to use the medium for a more urgent packet, that retrieves the medium control can send a PPDU which is an A-PPDU with the remaining data portions).
Regarding Claim 19, Cariou discloses operations comprising after enabling the transmission of the urgent PPDU, transmitting at least two of the two or more PPDUs (page 1, par (0020), line 5-10, STAs with urgent traffic send a short indication that they have a request for urgent traffic(urgent PPDU), and if this happens the STA that made the pause in its PPDU will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA(enabling TxOP before transmission of all urgent PPDU traffic), wherein receiving the single BA comprises receiving the single BA for the two of the two or more PPDUs(page 4, par (0057), line 5-10, the BA(block acknowledgement) contain a BA response only for packets that have been successfully received, the initiator send a first PPDU to use the medium for a more urgent packet, that retrieves the medium control can send a PPDU which is an A-PPDU with the remaining data portions).
Regarding Claim 20, Cariou discloses determining that the urgent PPDU should be transmitted during the TXOP comprises determining that the urgent PPDU with an approximately 1 millisecond delay bound should be transmitted during the TXOP (page 1, par (0020), line 1-5, STAs to send requests for urgent traffic or transmit an urgent packet every x μs/ms (1 millisecond) and preempt the medium, when it transmits a long PPDU, to have pauses in their PPDU every x μs. During this pause, STAs with urgent traffic can start transmitting their PPDU (determining urgent PPDU) will give back the rest of its TxOP time to that STA (transmitting during the TxOP)).
Examiner Notice
Claim 1 would be allowable if (i) claims 5 or 6 or 11 are incorporated into the independent claim 1.
Claim 15 would be allowable if (i) claim 16 is incorporated into the independent claim 15.
Claim 17 would be allowable if (i) claim 21 is incorporated into the independent claim 17.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IQBAL ZAIDI whose telephone number is (571)270-3943. The examiner can normally be reached on M to Thu 8.a.m to 6.p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Q Ngo can be reached on 57-272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/IQBAL ZAIDI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
