DETAILED ACTION
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 .
1. Claims 1, 4-11 and 14-20 are pending. Claims 2-3 and 12-13 are canceled.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant's arguments filed 05/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, on pages 7-9, the applicant argues that the combination of Yang et al, US 2025/0323774 hereafter ‘3774 in view of Yang et al, US 2024/0365320 hereafter ‘5320 does not disclose “…wherein the trigger frame further includes indication information indicating the distribution bandwidth; the processor is configured to determine, based on the indicated DRU index value and on the indicated distribution bandwidth, a DRU allocation from a plurality of DRU allocations…”
In response to applicant's argument, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant's response.
‘5320 discloses [0125] At 730 and 735, the STAs may perform distributed tone mapping. For example, the first STA 104 may determine distributed tones for an indicated dRU that correspond to a logical RU allocated to the first STA 104 by the trigger frame at 725.
[0322] … The wireless station…to receive the scheduling information and the RU allocation, the one or more processors are further operable to: receive a trigger frame including the scheduling information, the RU allocation information, and one or more of: dRU indication information that indicates that one or more of the allocated logical RUs comprise dRUs; distribution bandwidth information that indicates a distribution bandwidth associated with the one or more dRUs; spreading bandwidth information that indicates a spreading bandwidth associated with the one or more dRUs; dRU CSD start index information that identifies a starting CSD value for the one or more dRUs; or a combination thereof.
For these reasons, the 35 U.S.C. 103 of claims 1-20 as being unpatentable over Yang et al, US 2025/0323774 in view of Yang et al, US 2024/0365320 is maintained.
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.
3. Claim(s) 1, 4-11 and 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al, US 2025/0323774 hereafter ‘3774 in view of Yang et al, US 2024/0365320 hereafter ‘5320.
As for claim 1, ‘3774 discloses:
A station (STA) comprising:
a transceiver; and a processor operatively coupled to the transceiver (‘3774, Fig. 19, [0189], the wireless communication device 1900 includes processor and a transmitter/receiver) 1925/1935, wherein: the transceiver and the processor are configured to receive, from an access point (AP), a trigger frame including a resource unit (RU) allocation field indicating a distributed RU (DRU) index value (‘3774, [0063], the trigger frame may indicate a logical RU or MRU allocated for transmission in the TB PDDU. In some examples, the trigger frame may be further configured to carry tone distribution information indicating whether the logical RU (or MRU) maps to a rRU or a dRU.);
wherein the trigger frame further includes indication information indicating the distribution bandwidth. (‘3774, [0063], the trigger frame may be further configured to carry tone distribution information indicating whether the logical RU (or MRU) maps to a rRU or a dRU.)
the transceiver and the processor are configured to transmit, to the AP, based on the determined DRU allocation and respective tone distribution plan, a plurality tones using a DRU within the distribution bandwidth. (‘3774, [0081], the STA 104 may transmit the ELR wireless packet 505 via a resource allocation associated with a dRU, such as a dRU including 52 tones, and via a frequency range, such as a 20 MHz frequency range. The Examiner interprets the frequency range and/or tones to correspond to the distribution bandwidth)
‘3774 does not explicitly disclose the processor is configured to determine, based on the indicated DRU index value and on the indicated distribution bandwidth, a DRU allocation from a plurality of DRU allocations, wherein each of the plurality of DRU allocations includes a respective tone distribution plan… wherein tones of the determined DRU allocation and the respective tone distribution plan are interleaved with tones of one or more other tone distribution plans, of the plurality of tone distribution plans, across a distribution bandwidth.
However, ‘5320 discloses the processor is configured to determine, based on the indicated DRU index value and on the indicated distribution bandwidth a DRU allocation from a plurality of DRU allocations, (‘5320, [0006], [0087], the spreading bandwidth information 618 indicates a bandwidth size upon which all dRUs are first distributed or mapped, before being further mapped, distributed, or interleaved over the distribution bandwidth. [0125], [0322], The wireless station…to receive the scheduling information and the RU allocation, the one or more processors are further operable to: receive a trigger frame including the… distribution bandwidth information and dRU CSD start index information) wherein each of the plurality of DRU allocations includes a respective tone distribution plan. (‘5320, [0262], A dRU tone mapping index table identifies the tone indices of distributed tones of all dRUs for a given dRU size allocation and may be used by a device to determine which tones to use for transmission or reception for a particular allocated RU or RUs.) … wherein tones of the determined DRU allocation and the respective tone distribution plan are interleaved with tones of one or more other tone distribution plans, of the plurality of tone distribution plans, across a distribution bandwidth. (‘5320, [0087], [0104], [0113], [0116], [0139], the contiguous tones may be mapped sequentially, according to a tone pattern associated with the distribution bandwidth or interleaved with other allocated tones of other logical RUs and dRUs, to distribute the allocated tones)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ‘3774 with the processor is configured to determine, based on the indicated DRU index value and on the indicated distribution bandwidth, a DRU allocation from a plurality of DRU allocations, wherein each of the plurality of DRU allocations includes a respective tone distribution plan… wherein tones of the determined DRU allocation and the respective tone distribution plan are interleaved with tones of one or more other tone distribution plans, of the plurality of tone distribution plans, across a distribution bandwidth as taught by ‘5320 to provide increased throughput. (‘5320, [0046])
As for claim 4, ‘3774 disclose wherein the plurality of tones are transmitted over a plurality of RUs. (‘3774, [0062], STA modulate a portion of the symbols on a number of tones representing multiple logical RUs to noncontiguous subcarrier indices associated with a shared wireless channel in accordance with a distributed tone plan)
As for claim 5, ‘3774 disclose wherein the determined DRU allocation further includes the distribution bandwidth. (‘3774, [0040], [0064], a STA 104 may include a distributed tone mapper that maps the logical RU 404 to the dRU 406 in the frequency domain )
As for claim 6, ‘3774 does not explicitly disclose wherein the determined DRU allocation and subcarrier tone distribution plan further includes a distribution of tones in regions outside of punctured subchannels within a channel.
However, ‘5320 discloses wherein the determined DRU allocation and subcarrier tone distribution plan further includes a distribution of tones in regions outside of punctured subchannels within a channel. (‘5320, [0150], [0164], the distributed tones of the dRU 906 may be distributed over a distribution bandwidth of 160 MHz of a 240 or 320 MHz channel. The other portion of the wireless channel (such as the other 80 or second 160 MHz of the wireless channel) may be punctured or may be dedicated to one or more rRUs, such as when the PPDU is a hybrid transmission of dRUs and rRUs.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ‘3774 with wherein the determined DRU allocation and subcarrier tone distribution plan further includes a distribution of tones in regions outside of punctured subchannels within a channel as taught by ‘5320 to provide increased throughput. (‘5320, [0046])
As for claim 7, ‘3774 disclose wherein the RU allocation field is received in a User Info field of the trigger frame. (‘3774, [0063], The trigger frame allocates resources to the STAs 104 for the transmission of the TB PPDU and indicates how the TB PPDU is to be configured for transmission)
As for claim 8, ‘3774 disclose wherein the RU allocation field is received in a ultra-high reliability (UHR)-SIG field of a physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PDU) (PPDU). (‘3774, [0131], [0136], Table 2, 20 MHz UHR PPDU)
As for claim 9, ‘3774 disclose wherein the RU Allocation field is received in a Control Information sub-field in a triggered response scheduling (TRS) Control field of a PPDU. (‘3774, [0063], the trigger frame may indicate a logical RU or MRU allocated for transmission in the TB PDDU. In some examples, the trigger frame may be further configured to carry tone distribution information indicating whether the logical RU (or MRU) maps to a rRU or a dRU.)
As for claim 10, ‘3774 does not explicitly disclose wherein a DRU size is determined based on at least one of the RU allocation field or the indicated DRU index value; and wherein the DRU allocation is further determined based on the DRU size.
However, ‘5320 discloses wherein a DRU size is determined based on at least one of the RU allocation field or the indicated DRU index value (‘5320, [0083], The RU assignment index or RU index may indicate the size and relative position of the dRU within a given bandwidth (such as the first 26-tone dRU of a 40 MHz bandwidth, the second 26-tone dRU of a 40 MHz bandwidth); and wherein the DRU allocation is further determined based on the DRU size. (‘5320, [0087], [0262], A dRU tone mapping index table identifies the tone indices of distributed tones of all dRUs for a given dRU size allocation and may be used by a device to determine which tones to use for transmission or reception for a particular allocated RU or RUs.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of ‘3774 with wherein the determined DRU allocation and subcarrier tone distribution plan further includes a distribution of tones in regions outside of punctured subchannels within a channel as taught by ‘5320 to provide increased throughput. (‘5320, [0046])
Regarding claims 11 and 14-20, these claims are analyzed and rejected for the same reasons as claims 1 and 4-10 because the corresponding apparatus of claims 11-20 can be used to practice the method claims 11-20.
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Chen et al, US 2025/0310047 [0095] In some implementations, responsive to the B56-59 indicating that DRU being used in the corresponding 80 MHz frequency subblock(s) of the TB-PPDU, first two bits of bits 27-31 (B27-31) in a UHR User Info field in the trigger frame may indicate a distribution bandwidth.
5. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENEE HOLLAND whose telephone number is (571)270-7196. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IAN MOORE can be reached at (571)272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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JENEE HOLLAND
Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/JENEE HOLLAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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