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 .
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of amendment filed on 07/01/2026. The amendments of Applicant are entered and have been considered by Examiner. Claims 1-20 were previously pending. Claims 1, 8, 15 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/01/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on Page
ARGUMENT 1: However, Chun appears silent as to allocating RUs to selected user devices. That is, Chun appears silent as to what the "resource allocation information" actually entails, such that the information is recited as generic resource information, while in contrast claim 1 recites a specific RU assignment being made by a group leader for user devices associated with a multiple APs.
ARGUMENT 2: Additionally, as noted above, Chun primary describes the "resource allocation information" as being provided to APs for AP-specific operations. Even if Chun teaches that a STA receives resource allocation information from a second AP (e.g., an AP different from the AP the STA is associated with), Chun does not teach that the resource allocation information allocates RUs to the STA. That is, Chun simply teaches that a STA receives resource allocation information from another AP, and not that a group leader (e.g., an AP) allocates RUs to selected user devices (e.g., STAs), such that the STA receives an RU allocation.
Accordingly, Chun does not teach or suggest "allocating, by the group leader, resource units (RUs) to selected user devices associated with the plurality of APs based on the channel information, wherein the RU allocation divides up bandwidth of a co-channel shared by the plurality of APs in the CG," as recited by amended claim 1 or "receiving a resource unit (RU) allocation from the group leader to use to communicate with the user device, wherein the RU allocation is a portion of bandwidth of a co-channel shared by a plurality of APs in the CG, and wherein the RU allocation is selected for the user device based on the channel information," as recited by amended claim 15.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. With respect to Argument 1 and 2, [0255] of Chun recites:
[0255] In S1820, a STA may perform frame exchange with a first AP. For example, a specific resource where a STA and a first AP perform frame exchange may be based on resource allocation information determined by a second AP. Resource allocation information may be provided from a second AP to a first AP, and a STA may receive resource allocation information (or a (master) trigger frame including resource allocation information) from a second AP and acquire/decode resource allocation information.
Specifically, the underlined portions are indicative of an STA that is assigned a specific resource (i.e. specific RU assignment) for frame exchange made by the second AP (i.e. group leader) and 2) the STA receives resource allocation information from the second AP (i.e. group leader) different from the first AP (i.e. AP associated with the STA).
As such, examiner maintains that the prior art teaches the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-9, 11-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2025/0167944 A1 to Chun et al. (hereinafter “Chun”)
Regarding Claim 1, Chun teaches A method comprising:
receiving, at a group leader, channel information for a plurality of access points (APs) and user devices in a coordination group (CG); ([0250] discloses In S1710, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may receive channel-related information of an AP group (i.e. coordination group). For example, an AP group may include a first AP, and may receive each channel-related information from each of all or part of APs of an AP group. [0259], discloses For a MAP operation (e.g., a C-OFDMA operation), channel-related information between a STA and an AP and/or between an AP and an AP may be exchanged/shared/reported. For example, STA(s) may report channel state information of a BSS and OBSS AP to their BSS AP (e.g., slave AP). Slave AP(s) may report their channel information (i.e. channel information for a plurality of APs) and channel state information acquired from STA(s) (i.e. channel information of user devices) to a master AP. Based on this channel-related information, a master AP may perform resource allocation/scheduling for a MAP operation)
allocating, by a group leader, resource units (RUs) to selected user devices associated with the plurality of APs, ([0251], discloses In S1720, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may transmit resource allocation information (i.e. allocating RUs) for each of at least one AP of an AP group. For example, a second AP may determine resource allocation information of a corresponding AP for each of all or part of APs of an AP and provide it to a corresponding AP. [0254], discloses STAs associated with a first AP (i.e. selected user devices). [0255], further discloses a STA may perform frame exchange with a first AP. For example, a specific resource (i.e. allocating resource units to selected user devices) where a STA and a first AP perform frame exchange may be based on resource allocation information determined by a second AP. Resource allocation information may be provided from a second AP to a first AP, and a STA may receive resource allocation information (or a (master) trigger frame including resource allocation information) from a second AP (i.e. allocated by the group leader) and acquire/decode resource allocation information) based on the channel information.( [0259],discloses Slave AP(s) may report their channel information and channel state information acquired from STA(s) to a master AP. Based on this channel-related information, a master AP may perform resource allocation/scheduling for a MAP operation (i.e. allocated resource units based on channel information ))
wherein the RU allocation divides up bandwidth of a co-channel shared by the plurality of APs in the CG; ([0226], discloses APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner) and
transmitting the RU allocations from the group leader to the plurality of APs. ([0251] and [0281], discloses In S1720, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may transmit resource allocation information for each of at least one AP of an AP group. For example, a second AP may determine resource allocation information of a corresponding AP for each of all or part of APs of an AP group and provide it to a corresponding AP)
Regarding Claim 2, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, wherein a subset of the RUs defines a sub-portion of the co-channel to be used by one of the plurality of APs to communicate with a specific one or more of the selected user devices. ([0282], discloses a master AP may allocate a frequency domain to a corresponding slave AP by avoiding each slave AP's disabled/punctured/inactive channel/subchannel among the entire bandwidth. [0289], further discloses For example, a master AP may inform a configuration of slave APs, a capability for C-OFDMA and an operating element, or when informing APs participating in C-OFDMA of information of a neighbor AP, may inform information about an available (or unavailable) channel/subchannel for C-OFMA. This information may be notified to each slave AP or may be notified to all slave APs. When available subchannel(s) are indicated, a slave AP may perform a C-OFDMA operation in some or all of the indicated subchannel(s). When unavailable (e.g., disabled/punctured/inactive) subchannel(s) are indicated, a slave AP may perform a C-OFDMA operation in some or all of the remaining subchannel(s) excluding the indicated subchannel(s) from the entire bandwidth (i.e. sub-portion))
Regarding Claim 4, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the RUs are Subchannel Selective Transmission (SST) RUs. ([0226], discloses For example, the disabled subchannel bitmap information of each AP may be exchanged between APs or may be provided from a slave AP to a master AP. A resource for C-OFDMA may be allocated by avoiding a disabled subchannel (i.e. subchannel selective transmission RU) of these AP(s). For example, it may be assumed that in a 80 MHz bandwidth (BW), a second 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP1 and a third 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP2. In this case, AP1 may be allocated a frequency resource including a third 20 MHz subchannel and AP2 may be allocated a frequency resource including a second 20 MHz subchannel. Accordingly, APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner)
Regarding Claim 5, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing one or more guard bands between the RUs. (Figure 8-10 and [0115]-[0123] discloses resource unit allocations used in a band of 20, 40, and 80 MHz, with guard band in the left most and rightmost band)
Regarding Claim 6, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the channel information is derived from reports transmitted by the user devices to the plurality of APs which include frequency selective channel information. ([0272], A master AP may request slave AP(s) participating in a MAP operation to report their respective channel-related information, and each slave AP may report its respective channel-related information. Channel-related information may include channel/subchannel information of each slave AP, or channel/subchannel state information (i.e. frequency selective channel information) reported from STA(s) associated with each slave AP. [0235], discloses Channel/subchannel-related information may include channel/subchannel information, channel/subchannel state information, etc. For example, channel/subchannel information may include available channel/subchannel information of an AP and/or a STA, unavailable (e.g., disabled, punctured, inactive) channel/subchannel information, a channel/subchannel type (e.g., a primary channel, a secondary channel), a channel/subchannel width, a frequency position information about a subchannel within a channel, etc.)
Regarding Claim 7, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the CG implements one of coordinated frequency division multiple access (C-FDMA) or coordinated orthogonal frequency division multiple access (C-OFDMA). ([0213], discloses C-OFDMA)
Regarding Claim 8, Chun teaches A network device, comprising: ([0233], discloses master AP)
one or more processors; and memory configured to store computer readable program code which, when executed by any combination of the one or more processors, performs an operation comprising: (Figure 1 and [0044]-[0045] and [0048], discloses a first device acting as an access point and including processor and memory)
receiving, at a group leader, channel information for a plurality of access points (APs) and user devices in a coordination group (CG); ([0250] discloses In S1710, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may receive channel-related information of an AP group (i.e. coordination group). For example, an AP group may include a first AP, and may receive each channel-related information from each of all or part of APs of an AP group. [0259], discloses For a MAP operation (e.g., a C-OFDMA operation), channel-related information between a STA and an AP and/or between an AP and an AP may be exchanged/shared/reported. For example, STA(s) may report channel state information of a BSS and OBSS AP to their BSS AP (e.g., slave AP). Slave AP(s) may report their channel information (i.e. channel information for a plurality of APs) and channel state information acquired from STA(s) (i.e. channel information of user devices) to a master AP. Based on this channel-related information, a master AP may perform resource allocation/scheduling for a MAP operation)
allocating, by a group leader, resource units (RUs) to selected user devices associated with the plurality of APs, ([0251], discloses In S1720, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may transmit resource allocation information (i.e. allocating RUs) for each of at least one AP of an AP group. For example, a second AP may determine resource allocation information of a corresponding AP for each of all or part of APs of an AP and provide it to a corresponding AP [0254], discloses STAs associated with a first AP (i.e. selected user devices). [0255], further discloses a STA may perform frame exchange with a first AP. For example, a specific resource (i.e. allocating resource units to selected user devices) where a STA and a first AP perform frame exchange may be based on resource allocation information determined by a second AP. Resource allocation information may be provided from a second AP to a first AP, and a STA may receive resource allocation information (or a (master) trigger frame including resource allocation information) from a second AP (i.e. allocated by the group leader) and acquire/decode resource allocation information) based on the channel information.( [0259],discloses Slave AP(s) may report their channel information and channel state information acquired from STA(s) to a master AP. Based on this channel-related information, a master AP may perform resource allocation/scheduling for a MAP operation (i.e. allocated resource units based on channel information ))
wherein the RU allocation divides up bandwidth of a co-channel shared by the plurality of APs in the CG; ([0226], discloses APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner) and
transmitting the RU allocations from the group leader to the plurality of APs. ([0251] and [0281], discloses In S1720, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may transmit resource allocation information for each of at least one AP of an AP group. For example, a second AP may determine resource allocation information of a corresponding AP for each of all or part of APs of an AP group and provide it to a corresponding AP)
Claims 9, 11-14 are rejected for having the same limitations as claims 2, 4- 7, respectively, except the claims are in device format.
Regarding Claim 15, Chun teaches An access point, comprising: ([0233], discloses slave AP)
one or more processors; and memory configured to store computer readable program code which, when executed by any combination of the one or more processors, performs an operation comprising: (Figure 1 and [0044]-[0045] and [0048], discloses a first device acting as an access point and including processor and memory)
receiving channel information from a user device associated with the AP in a coordination group (CG); ([0259], discloses For a MAP operation (e.g., a C-OFDMA operation), channel-related information between a STA and an AP and/or between an AP and an AP may be exchanged/shared/reported. For example, STA(s) may report channel state information (i.e. receiving channel information) of a BSS and OBSS AP to their BSS AP (e.g., slave AP).
transmitting, based on the channel information, a report to a group leader of a coordination group (CG), wherein the AP belongs to the CG. ([0250] discloses In S1710, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may receive channel-related information of an AP group (i.e. coordination group). For example, an AP group may include a first AP, and may receive each channel-related information from each of all or part of APs of an AP group. [0259], discloses Slave AP(s) may report their channel information (i.e. a report) and channel state information acquired from STA(s) (i.e. channel information of user devices) to a master AP (i.e. group leader))
receiving a resource unit (RU) allocation from the group leader to use to communicate with the user device, ([0251] and [0281], discloses In S1720, a second AP (i.e. group leader) may transmit resource allocation information for each of at least one AP of an AP group. For example, a second AP may determine resource allocation information of a corresponding AP for each of all or part of APs of an AP group and provide it to a corresponding AP)
wherein the RU allocation is a portion of bandwidth of a co-channel shared by a plurality of APs in the CG; ([0226], discloses APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner)
wherein the RU allocation is selected for the user device based on the channel information.( [0259],discloses Slave AP(s) may report their channel information and channel state information acquired from STA(s) to a master AP. Based on this channel-related information, a master AP may perform resource allocation/scheduling for a MAP operation (i.e. allocated resource units based on channel information ))
Regarding Claim 16, Chun teaches The AP of claim 15, wherein the AP can only use the RU allocation to communicate with the user device. ([0226], discloses For example, the disabled subchannel bitmap information of each AP may be exchanged between APs or may be provided from a slave AP to a master AP. A resource for C-OFDMA may be allocated by avoiding a disabled subchannel of these AP(s). For example, it may be assumed that in a 80 MHz bandwidth (BW), a second 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP1 and a third 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP2. In this case, AP1 may be allocated a frequency resource including a third 20 MHz subchannel and AP2 may be allocated a frequency resource including a second 20 MHz subchannel. Accordingly, APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner)
Regarding Claim 17, Chun teaches The AP of claim 15, wherein the RU is a Subchannel Selective Transmission (SST) RU. ([0226], discloses For example, the disabled subchannel bitmap information of each AP may be exchanged between APs or may be provided from a slave AP to a master AP. A resource for C-OFDMA may be allocated by avoiding a disabled subchannel (i.e. subchannel selective transmission RU) of these AP(s). For example, it may be assumed that in a 80 MHz bandwidth (BW), a second 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP1 and a third 20 MHz subchannel is disabled in AP2. In this case, AP1 may be allocated a frequency resource including a third 20 MHz subchannel and AP2 may be allocated a frequency resource including a second 20 MHz subchannel. Accordingly, APs may be dividedly allocated a frequency resource and perform transmission or reception in a C-OFDMA manner)
Regarding Claim 18, Chun teaches The AP of claim 15, wherein the operation further comprises: receiving a guard band RU from the group leader, wherein a portion of bandwidth defined by the guard band RU neighbors a portion of bandwidth defined by the RU. (Figure 8-10 and [0115]-[0123] discloses resource unit allocations used in a band of 20, 40, and 80 MHz, with guard band in the left most and rightmost band next to RUs of different tones)
Regarding Claim 19, Chun teaches The AP of claim 15, wherein the channel information received from the user devices includes frequency selective channel information. ([0272], A master AP may request slave AP(s) participating in a MAP operation to report their respective channel-related information, and each slave AP may report its respective channel-related information. Channel-related information may include channel/subchannel information of each slave AP, or channel/subchannel state information (i.e. frequency selective channel information) reported from STA(s) associated with each slave AP. [0235], discloses Channel/subchannel-related information may include channel/subchannel information, channel/subchannel state information, etc. For example, channel/subchannel information may include available channel/subchannel information of an AP and/or a STA, unavailable (e.g., disabled, punctured, inactive) channel/subchannel information, a channel/subchannel type (e.g., a primary channel, a secondary channel), a channel/subchannel width, a frequency position information about a subchannel within a channel, etc.)
Regarding Claim 20, Chun teaches The AP of claim 15, wherein the CG implements one of coordinated frequency division multiple access (C-FDMA) or coordinated orthogonal frequency division multiple access (C-OFDMA). ([0213], discloses C-OFDMA)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 3, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun in view of US 2023/0103807 (from IDS submitted 04/22/2025) to Park et al. (hereinafter “Park”)
Regarding Claim 3, Chun teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising:
Chun does not explicitly teach determining a new RU allocation for a new set of selected user devices every transmit opportunity (TXOP). (
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Park discloses in [0294], When AP 1 initiates Multi-AP coordination for C-OFDMA, AP 1 becomes the Master AP. For example, when AP 1 acquires a TXOP for multi-AP transmission, AP 1 may become a Master AP. [0300], discloses After acquiring TXOP through an idle channel, the Master AP may transmit a Request frame to Slave APs in duplicate mode. For example, the request frame can be duplicated and transmitted to slave APs. [0312]-[0313], discloses Upon receiving the request frame transmitted by AP 1, AP 2, and AP 3 can know that they are Slave AP A and Slave AP B, respectively, and can transmit a response frame including information requested by AP 1 to AP 1. The Master AP may request, to the Slave AP, the BSS information of the Slave AP and receive the requested information from the Slave AP. [0317], discloses By using the above negotiation information (ie, BSS information), the Master AP can allocate 20 MHz unit channels (i.e. determine new RU allocations) to all the Slave APs without overlapping them. [0318], discloses When the Master AP allocates a channel in units of 20 MHz to the Slave AP, it may allocate a channel that does not include the primary channel in which the Slave AP previously operated. In this case, only specific STAs (i.e. selected user devices) participating in C-OFDMA among STAs associated with the slave AP may temporarily switch the primary channel until C-OFDMA data transmission is finished)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Chun to include the above limitations as suggested by Park, so that interference between BSSs when transmitting and receiving data between AP and STA is minimized and data transmission efficiency is increased as indicated in [0274] of Park.
Claim 10 is rejected for having the same limitations as claim 3 above, except the claim is in device format.
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 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.
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/JENKEY VAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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