DETAILED ACTION
It is hereby acknowledged that the following papers have been received and placed of record in the file: Amendment date 06/18/2026.
Claims 1-8 are presented for examination.
The rejections are respectfully maintained and reproduced infra for applicant's convenience.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/18/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues the following limitation(s):
Applicant argues, stated in the remark on page 7, “Umehara neither discloses nor suggests the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to adjust the transmission timings of the first data and the second data on the basis of a first status associated with the first wireless signal processing unit and a second status associated with the second wireless signal processing unit”. On the contrary, Umehara teaches control unit 202 reads out program and executes the program with MAC unit 211 and 212 to confirming idle state and Station 103 decrements the backoff counter value by 1 (corresponding to transmission timing adjustment) depend on link idle state . Umehara further taches random backoff values 503-504 (corresponding to status of each signal) are based on CW set X to determine whether signal is interrupt signal or idle signal (see Umehara: ¶[0064-0065]; Fig.5-6; ¶[0069]; ¶[0074]). Applicant express disclose the status are “in the case where one of the wireless signal processing units completes its channel access (CA) procedure while CA procedure(s) of the other wireless signal processing unit(s) are still being executed, the completed unit may be instructed to defer transmission until the other unit(s) are ready for data transmission (see paragraphs [0073]-[0077] of the present application)”, However, this limitations does not recites in the claim language. If the applicant express the first and second status based on “CA procedures” instead of “first and second wireless signal processing units”, Examiner suggests applicant further define the channel access procedure are being executed in the data transmission.
Applicant argues, stated in the remark on page 7, “Umehara also fails to disclose "return an ACK to the terminal on the basis of an ACK reply timing instruction received from the terminal that is configured to transmit a wireless signal" as recited in claim 8.” On the contrary, Umehara teaches ACK signal received at S311 when transmit data frame at data frame S310 over each link and transmissions based on backoff values to perform data transmission, it clearly teaches the limitations as described hereinabove.
Applicant argues, stated in the remark on page 8, Naribole does not disclose nor suggest in Claim 7 recites "notify the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit of either a common ACK reply timing, a block ACK request (BAR) reply timing, or a data transmission completion timing on the basis of a maximum value of time required for the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit to transmit data”. On the contrary, Naribole teaches a block ACK request (BAR) reply timing limitation based on after the transmission from the non-STR STA to the access point on link A, the access point provides a multi-channel busy status feedback in the corresponding acknowledgment (ACK or Block Ack) indicating an ongoing reception (of a frame from the second station STA 2) by the access point on link B (see Naribole: ¶[0090]; ¶[0098]). In the broadest reason of interpretation, claim 7 disclose “or” statement that only need to meet one of limitation (which is a block ACK request as disclosed)that perform the function, which disclosed in the Naribole as described hereinabove. Based on the reasons above, Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
(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) 1-6 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Umehara (US 2022/0322432 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Umehara teaches a terminal communicating with a base station (station (STA) 103 see Umehara: Fig.2; ¶[0026]) comprising:
a first wireless signal processing unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal using a first channel (STA 103 includes a MAC unit for wireless Link A 211 to send and receive wireless signals over a channel (such as channel 175) see Umehara: Fig.1-2; Fig.5; ¶[0066]; ¶[0021]);
a second wireless signal processing unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal using a second channel different from the first channel (STA 103 includes a MAC unit for wireless Link B 212 to send and receive wireless signals over a second channel (such as channel 207) see Umehara: Fig.2; Fig.5; ¶[0066]; ¶[0021]); and
a transmission timing adjustment unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to adjust transmission timings of first data associated with the first wireless signal processing unit and second data associated with the second wireless signal processing unit (control unit 202 reads out program and executes the program with MAC unit 211 and 212 to confirming idle state and Station 103 decrements the backoff counter value by 1 “The MAC unit 211 and the MAC unit 212 start random backoffs 503 to 510 after confirming that the idle state (link idle state) of the corresponding wireless medium has continued for the DIFS period” see Umehara: ¶[0063]; Fig.5; Fig.3; ¶[0032]; ¶[0054]; ¶[0048]),
wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to adjust the transmission timings of the first data and the second data on the basis of a first status associated with the first wireless signal processing unit and a second status associated with the second wireless signal processing unit (random backoff values 503-504 are based on CW set X to determine whether signal is interrupt signal or idle signal see Umehara: ¶[0064-0065]; Fig.5-6; ¶[0069]; ¶[0074]).
Regarding claim 2. Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 1 as described hereinabove. Umehara further teaches wherein the first status is a status of a channel access procedure of the first wireless signal processing unit, the second status is a status of a channel access procedure of the second wireless signal processing unit, and the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to manage the first status and the second status (The state in which transmission opportunity for one wireless link is obtained is corresponding to “a case in which the first state is a status indicating completion of a channel access procedure” and determine whether the radio medium of wireless radio links is idle corresponding to “second status” see Umehara: ¶[0060]; ¶[0073-0074]).
Regarding claim 3. Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 2 as described hereinabove. Umehara further teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to confirm the second status in a case where the first status is a status indicating completion of a channel access procedure (The state in which transmission opportunity for one wireless link is obtained is corresponding to “a case in which the first state is a status indicating completion of a channel access procedure” and determine whether the radio medium of wireless radio links is idle corresponding to “second status” see Umehara: ¶[0060]; ¶[0073-0074]).
Regarding claim 4. Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 3 as described hereinabove. Umehara further teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit notifies is configured to notify the first wireless signal processing unit of an instruction to wait for transmission of the first data in a case where the second status is a status indicating that the channel access procedure is being executed (the wireless medium related to the wireless link A is in a busy state due to a transmission signal 601 from the STA 104, after a random backoff 518 and detect wireless link in busy state until the transmission of these signals is completed see Umehara: ¶[0071-0073]; Fig.6).
Regarding claim 5. Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 3 as described hereinabove. Umehara further teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit notifies is configured to notify the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit of an instruction to transmit the first data and the second data in a case where the second status is a status indicating completion of the channel access procedure (The state in which transmission opportunity for one wireless link is obtained is corresponding to “a case in which the state is a status indicating completion of a channel access procedure” and determine whether the radio medium of wireless radio links is idle see Umehara: ¶[0060]; ¶[0067]; ¶[0073-0074]).
Regarding claim 6. Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 1 as described hereinabove. Umehara further teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit receives is configured to receive the first data and the second data and transmits transmit the first data and the second data (transmit and receive first and second data over wireless link A and B and transmit data frame S310 see Umehara: Fig.5-6; ¶[0050-0052]).
Regarding claim 8, Umehara teaches a base station communicating with a terminal (base station 102 see Umehara: Fig.1-2; ¶[0026]) comprising:
a first wireless signal processing unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal using a first channel (base station 102 includes a MAC unit for wireless Link A 211 to send and receive wireless signals over a channel (such as channel 175) see Umehara: Fig.2; Fig.5; ¶[0066]; ¶[0021]); and
a second wireless signal processing unit, comprising one or more processors, configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal using a second channel different from the first channel (base station 102 includes a MAC unit for wireless Link B 212 to send and receive wireless signals over a second channel (such as channel 207) see Umehara: Fig.2; Fig.5; ¶[0066]; ¶[0021]),
wherein the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit are configured to return an ACK to the terminal on the basis of an ACK reply timing instruction received from the terminal that transmits is configured to transmit a wireless signal (ACK signal received at S311 when transmit data frame at data frame S310 over each link see Umehara: Fig.3; ¶[0050-0052]).
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Umehara (US 2022/0322432 A1) in view of Naribole et al. (US 2022/0264597 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Umehara taught the terminal according to claim 1 as described hereinabove. Umehara does not explicitly teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to notify the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit of either a common ACK reply timing, a block ACK request (BAR) reply timing, or a data transmission completion timing on the basis of a maximum value of time required for the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit to transmit data.
However, Naribole teaches wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to notify the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit of either the same ACK reply timing, a block ACK request (BAR) reply timing (after the transmission from the non-STR STA to the access point on link A, the access point provides a multi-channel busy status feedback in the corresponding acknowledgment (ACK or Block Ack) indicating an ongoing reception (of a frame from the second station STA 2) by the access point on link B see Naribole: ¶[0090]; ¶[0098]), or a data transmission completion timing on the basis of a maximum value of time required for the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit to transmit data in order to enhance medium utilization in asynchronous multi-channel operation (see Naribole: ¶[0015]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to create the invention of Umehara to include (or to use, etc.) the wherein the transmission timing adjustment unit is configured to notify the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit of either the same ACK reply timing, a block ACK request (BAR) reply timing, or a data transmission completion timing on the basis of a maximum value of time required for the first wireless signal processing unit and the second wireless signal processing unit to transmit data as taught by Naribole in order to enhance medium utilization in asynchronous multi-channel operation (see Naribole: ¶[0015]).
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUANG W LI whose telephone number is (571)270-1897. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7AM-5PMET.
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, Joseph Avellino can be reached at (571) 272-3905. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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GUANG W. LI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2478
September 4, 2026
/GUANG W LI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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