CTNF 18/657,610 CTNF 86131 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 9, 17, 19 and 28 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. Regarding claim 9, none of the prior art of record alone or in combination with other disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “ the null data packet announcement indicates an ultra-high reliability variant of the first null data packet transmission, and the ultra-high reliability variant of the first null data packet transmission is transmitted in the null data packet announcement” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations. Regarding claim 17, none of the prior art of record alone or in combination with other disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “wherein the coordinated beamforming transmission comprises a coordinated beamforming transmission frame format with a beamformed pre-ultra-high-reliability portion that indicates information of one basic service set of a set of basic service sets associated with the coordinated beamforming transmission.” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations. Regarding claim 19, none of the prior art of record alone or in combination with other disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “transmit, prior to the coordinated beamforming transmission, a coordinated beamforming transmission format frame that comprises a pre-ultra-high- reliability portion, wherein the pre-ultra-high-reliability portion conveys identical information in a set of basic service sets associated with the coordinated beamforming transmission” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations. Regarding claim 28, none of the prior art of record alone or in combination with other disclose or render obvious the claimed limitations including “wherein the coordinated beamforming transmission comprises a coordinated beamforming transmission frame format with a beamformed pre-ultra-high-reliability portion that indicates information of one basic service set of a set of basic service sets associated with the coordinated beamforming transmission” when considered as a whole along with other claimed limitations. Claim 18 is objected because of it’s dependency on claim 17. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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 20claimed 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-8, 11, 13-16, 20-27, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein et al. (US 2024/0064811, hereinafter Klein) in view of Lin et al. (US 2024/0275566, hereinafter Lin) . Regarding claims 1 and 29, Klein discloses first access point (AP1 of Fig. 1), comprising: a processing system (para 0042 – a processor) that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry (para 0081; a memory) that stores code (para 0081), the processing system configured to cause the first AP to: transmit, to a second AP (para 0038), a null data packet announcement (para 0035-0037; generating a C-BF Null Data PPDU Announcement, C-BF NDPA, frame, by the wireless AP), wherein the null data packet announcement indicates a sounding occasion (para 0024; 0038; 0086; duration) and one or more common parameters (para 0010; 0077- Multi-AP set – parameters used by STAs) for a first null data packet transmission (para 000111; 0077-0078; parameters); transmit, during the sounding occasion, the first null data packet transmission (para 0024, 0029, 0038 and 0083; the communication interface of the wireless non-AP station is further configured to receive a Sounding Null Data PPDU, i.e. Sounding NDP from the associated wireless AP or from the at least one further OBSS wireless AP within the Multi-AP set, wherein the Sounding NDP is transmitted after a SIFS period following the transmission of the C-BF NDPA frame) in accordance with the one or more common parameters (para 0010; 0077- Multi-AP set – parameters used by STAs); monitor for a sounding feedback associated with the first null data packet transmission and associated with a second null data packet transmission during the sounding occasion from the second AP (para 0025, 0039-0040, 0060 and 0083; the first AP monitors and receives coordinated beamforming reports that is based on both first NDP and a second NDP from other AP); and transmit, based at least in part on the feedback, a coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0028, 0034, 0084 and 0089 – coordinated beamforming transmission). Klein does not explicitly disclose that the null data packet announcement is for a joint sounding and the feedback is joint sounding feedback. In an analogous art, Lin discloses that the null data packet announcement is for a joint sounding (para 0101-0102; joint sounding mode may be provided for Multiple-AP) and the feedback is joint sounding feedback (para 0101). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claims 21 and 30, Klein discloses first access point (AP1 of Fig. 1), comprising: a processing system (para 0042 – a processor) that includes processor circuitry and memory circuitry (para 0081; a memory) that stores code (para 0081), the processing system configured to cause the first AP to: receive, from a second AP (para 0038), a null data packet announcement (para 0035-0037; generating a C-BF Null Data PPDU Announcement, C-BF NDPA, frame, by the wireless AP) indicating a null data packet announcement (para 0024, 0038, and 0086), wherein the null data packet annoucement indicates a sounding occasion (para 0024; 0038; 0086; duration) and one or more common parameters (para 0010; 0077- Multi-AP set – parameters used by STAs) for a first null data packet transmission (para 000111; 0077-0078; parameters); transmit, during the sounding occasion, a second null data packet transmission (para 0024, 0029, 0038 and 0083; the communication interface of the wireless non-AP station is further configured to receive a Sounding Null Data PPDU, i.e. Sounding NDP from the associated wireless AP or from the at least one further OBSS wireless AP within the Multi-AP set, wherein the Sounding NDP is transmitted after a SIFS period following the transmission of the C-BF NDPA frame) in accordance with the one or more common parameters (para 0010; 0077- Multi-AP set – parameters used by STAs); monitor for a sounding feedback associated with the first null data packet transmission and associated with the second null data packet transmission during the sounding occasion from the second AP (para 0025, 0039-0040, 0060 and 0083; the first AP monitors and receives coordinated beamforming reports that is based on both first NDP and a second NDP from other AP); and transmit, based at least in part on the feedback, a coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0028, 0034, 0084 and 0089 – coordinated beamforming transmission). Klein does not explicitly disclose that the null data packet announcement is for a joint sounding and the feedback is joint sounding feedback. In an analogous art, Lin discloses that the null data packet announcement is for a joint sounding (para 0101-0102; joint sounding mode may be provided for Multiple-AP) and the feedback is joint sounding feedback (para 0101). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claims 2 and 22, Klein discloses wherein the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted during the coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0016, 0025, and 0028; coordinated beamforming transmission). Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: transmit/receive, prior to the null data packet announcement, a signaling indicating a coordinated beamforming opportunity. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: transmit/receive, prior to the null data packet announcement, a signaling indicating a coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0099, 0104; coordinating AP transmits signal before NDPA). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 3, Klein does not explicitly disclose that the signaling comprises a spatial multiplexing capability of the first AP for the coordinated beamforming opportunity, and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted during the coordinated beamforming opportunity in accordance with the spatial multiplexing capability. In an analogous art, Lin discloses that the signaling comprises a spatial multiplexing capability of the first AP for the coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0111; 0123, 0131, 0141– spatially multiplexed – according to applicant’s specs number of antennas indicates the capability of AP), and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted during the coordinated beamforming opportunity in accordance with the spatial multiplexing capability (para 0111, 0130 and 0154, and 0169). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 4, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein: the spatial multiplexing capability comprises a quantity of antennas of the first AP associated with the coordinated beamforming opportunity, and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted during the coordinated beamforming opportunity using the quantity of antennas. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein: the spatial multiplexing capability comprises a quantity of antennas of the first AP associated with the coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0111; 0123 , 0131, 0141– spatially multiplexed –number of antennas of AP), and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted during the coordinated beamforming opportunity using the quantity of antennas (para 0111, 0130 and 0154, and 0169). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 5, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein: the signaling comprises at least one candidate AP associated to the coordinated beamforming opportunity, and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted to the at least one candidate AP during the coordinated beamforming opportunity. In an analogous art, Lin discloses that the signaling comprises at least one candidate AP associated to the coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0098-0099; 01118; AP candidate), and the coordinated beamforming transmission is transmitted to the at least one candidate AP during the coordinated beamforming opportunity (para 0099; 0137). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claims 6, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field, the station information field comprises an identifier of the first AP, and the station information field is transmitted in the null data packet announcement. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field (para 0010, and 0105; STA info field), the station information field comprises an identifier of the first AP (para 0106, 0132; STA info filed indicates identifier of the AP), and the station information field is transmitted in the null data packet announcement. (para 0132; STA info filed is transmitted in NDPA). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 7, Klein discloses wherein: the null data packet announcement comprises a coordinated beamforming AP identifier of the first AP (para 0016, 0025, 008, 0096-0097; AP identifier), and the coordinated beamforming AP identifier is transmitted in the null data packet announcement (0096-0097, 0100; AP identifier is transmitted in NDPA). Regarding claim 8, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein: the null data packet announcement comprises a sounding dialogue token indicating the joint sounding, and the sounding dialogue token is transmitted in the null data packet announcement. In an analogous art, Lin discloses the null data packet announcement comprises a sounding dialogue token indicating the joint sounding (para 0105; sounding dialog token field), and the sounding dialogue token is transmitted in the null data packet announcement (para 0105; sounding dialog token is transmitted in NDP announcement). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 11, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field for the second AP. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field (para 0010, and 0105; STA info field) for the second AP (para 0106, 0132; STA info filed indicates identifier of the AP). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 13, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: transmit, prior to the null data packet announcement, a joint sounding trigger. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: transmit, prior to the null data packet announcement, a joint sounding trigger (para 0101-0102; trigger frame for joint sounding). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 14, Klein discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: receive, subsequent to the first null data packet transmission, a beamforming report poll frame (para 0025-0026; beamforming feedback report poll). Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein a modulation and coding scheme of the joint sounding feedback is indicated in the beamforming report poll frame. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein a modulation and coding scheme of the joint sounding feedback is indicated in the beamforming report poll frame (para 0109). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 15, Klein discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: transmit, based at least in part on the joint sounding feedback and prior to the coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0025), a coordinated beamforming trigger indicating one or more parameters for the coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0021-0022, 0025; C-BF trigger frame). Regarding claims 16 and 27, Klein discloses wherein: the coordinated beamforming trigger comprises information for orthogonalizing block acknowledgement transmissions (para 0075; and 0079; Block-ACK -ODFM). Regarding claims 20, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the signaling indicating the coordinated beamforming opportunity is a beacon signal. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the signaling indicating the coordinated beamforming opportunity is a beacon signal (para 0075, 0173; beacon) It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claims 23, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field, the station information field comprises an identifier of the second AP, and the station information field is transmitted in the null data packet announcement. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the null data packet announcement comprises a station information field (para 0010, and 0105; STA info field), the station information field comprises an identifier of the second AP (para 0106, 0132; STA info filed indicates identifier of the AP), and the station information field is transmitted in the null data packet announcement. (para 0132; STA info filed is transmitted in NDPA). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 24, Klein discloses wherein: the null data packet announcement comprises a coordinated beamforming AP identifier of the second AP (para 0016, 0025, 008, 0096-0097; AP identifier), and the coordinated beamforming AP identifier is transmitted in the null data packet announcement (0096-0097, 0100; AP identifier is transmitted in NDPA). Regarding claim 25, Klein does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: receive, prior to the null data packet announcement, a joint sounding trigger. In an analogous art, Lin discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: receive, prior to the null data packet announcement, a joint sounding trigger (para 0101-0102; trigger frame for joint sounding). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein’s method/system by having Lin’s disclosure in order to improve resource allocation of a communications system. Regarding claim 26, Klein discloses wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: receive, based at least in part on the joint sounding feedback and prior to the coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0025), a coordinated beamforming trigger indicating one or more parameters for the coordinated beamforming transmission (para 0021-0022, 0025; C-BF trigger frame) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein/Lin in view of Doostnejad et al. (US 2020/0213160, hereinafter Doostnejad) . Regarding claim 10, Klein/Lin does not explicitly disclose wherein the processing system is further configured to cause the first AP to: receive, subsequent to the first null data packet transmission (para 0074; adding second NDPA) , signaling indicating a second null data packet announcement, wherein the second null data packet announcement indicates that the second AP did not receive the joint sounding feedback (para 0032 and 0074, fig. 3-4- adding second NDPA itself indicates that the second AP fails to receive the expected joint sounding feedback). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein/Lin’s method/system by having Doostnejad’s disclosure in order to improve the reliability of the communication system . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Klein/Lin in view of Zhou et al. (US 2021/0045135, hereinafter Zhou) . Regarding claim 12, Klein/Lin does not explicitly disclose wherein the null data packet announcement indicates at least one of a starting stream index and an ending stream index for the second AP. In an analogous art, Zhou discloses wherein the null data packet announcement indicates at least one of a starting stream index and an ending stream index for the second AP (para 0240.-0241 & 0298). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Klein/Lin’s method/system by having Zhou’s disclosure in order to improve the efficiency of the resource utilization and to reduce interference. Conclusion 6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMINA CHOUDHRY whose telephone number is (571)270-7102. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday (7:30 a.m. to 5.00p.m.). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached on (571)272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /SAMINA F CHOUDHRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 2 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 3 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 4 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 5 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 6 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 7 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 8 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 9 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 10 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 11 Art Unit: 2462 Application/Control Number: 18/657,610 Page 12 Art Unit: 2462
Prosecution Insights