DEVICE WITH MULTI-CHANNEL BONDING

DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Status of Claims 2. Claims 2-21 are presented for examination. Claim 1 is cancelled. Response to Arguments 3. Applicant’s argument filed on 08/21//2026 with respect independent claims 2 and 12 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant contends that cited references do not teach the limitation of “at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface,” as recited in independent claims 2 and 12. See the applicant’s remark pages 7-8. The Examiner respectfully disagrees and asserts that the reference of Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) in column 5, lines 64-67, column 6, lines 1-26, column 8, lines 30-44,column 11, lines 23-36, and Fig. 2A teaches the limitation of “wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface.” For example, FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a stream of packets 200 (“packet stream 200”) that are transmitted from the network interface controller 116 of the processor node 110 to the network interface controller 126 of the processor node 120, in an embodiment. In an embodiment, the packets of the packet stream 200 are transmitted by the network interface controller 116 in a sequence represented by respective sequence numbers that are assigned to corresponding packets in the packet stream 200. In some scenarios, for example, environments with packet loss or complex network paths across the communication link 130, one or more of the RDMA packets may be lost or delayed, which results in the receipt of out of order (OOO) packets by the receiving processor node. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the packet stream 200 includes packets 202, 204, 206, 208, 210, and 212. Packets 202 and 204 having sequence numbers “1” and “2,” respectively, are received in the order of their respective sequence numbers (“in-order packet”). Packet 206 is a “missing” packet with sequence number “3,” having been delayed or dropped during transmission over the communication link 130, or otherwise rendered unusable (e.g., due to data corruption). Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126). See column 6, lines 1-26.At a second time shown in FIG. 3B, the OOO packet 208 has been received prior to receipt of the missing packet 206, in an embodiment. In other words, the OOO packet 208 is received out of order relative to the missing packet 206 (i.e., the OOO packet 208 has a sequence number that is larger than a sequence number of the missing packet 206 and is received before the missing packet 206). The network interface controller 126 selects one of the OOO buffer 330 or the application buffer 310 and stores the OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer. As described above, in some embodiments, the network interface controller 126 stores the entire OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer. In some embodiments, the network interface controller 126 stores a remainder of the OOO packet 208 in the selected buffer (e.g., discarding the LLP header 252 and/or RDMA header 254). See column 8, lines 30-44.At block 604, the network interface controller 126 determines whether the received packet is an OOO packet, in an embodiment. In an embodiment, for example, the network interface controller 126 determines that the received packet is out of order when the received packet has a sequence number that is larger than a sequence number of a missing packet and is received before the first missing packet, or a sequence number that is larger than an expected sequence number (i.e., a sequence number of 6 when a sequence number 4 corresponds to a most recently received in-order packet). When the received packet is not an OOO packet, the method proceeds to block 620. On the other hand, when the received packet is an OOO packet, the method proceeds to block 606. See column 11, lines 23-36. Also, the applicant contends that Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) teaches “out-of-order arrival on a single path: packets 208, 210 and 212, bearing sequence numbers 4, 5 and 6, "arrive before the missing packet 206." Stawitzky's late packet is late because it was dropped on the one link that carried it.” See the applicant’s remark page 8. The Examiner respectfully disagrees and asserts that Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) in column 5, lines 52-63 teaches “the network interface controller includes multiple independent communication links to the processor node or other processor nodes via multiple ports” Therefore, the packets of the packet stream 200 can be transmitted by multiple independent communication links in a sequence represented by respective sequence numbers that are assigned to corresponding packets in the packet stream 200. For example, in various embodiments, the communication link 130 is an Ethernet link, fiber channel link, Omni-Path link, InfiniBand link, or other suitable communication link. Although only a single communication link 130 is shown in FIG. 1, in other embodiments, the communication link 130 is a fabric link that includes multiple links, switches, and routers that connect a set of processor nodes. In an embodiment, the communication link 130 is a part of the Internet. Moreover, in some embodiments, the network interface controller 116 includes multiple independent communication links 130 to the processor node 120 or other processor nodes, for example, via multiple ports (not shown). See in column 5, lines 52-63. Further, the applicant contends that the Office Action fails to present a prima facie case that claims 2-21 are obvious and the rejections are thus improper. See the applicant’s remark page 8. The Examiner respectfully disagrees and asserts that the rejections are proper because it’s not necessary in order to establish a prima facie case of obviousness…that there be a suggestion or expectation from the prior art that the claimed [invention] will have the same or a similar utility as one newly discovered by the applicant." In re Dillon, 919 F.2d 688, 692, 16 USPQ2d 1897, 1900 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (emphasis in original). Thus, "[i]t is not necessary that the prior art suggest the combination to achieve the same advantage or result discovered by applicant." MPEP § 2144 ("Rationale Different from Applicant's is Permissible"). In this case, the Stawitzky reference, in the field of endeavor, teaches "wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface." One of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Huang with the teachings of Stawitzky by including at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. This modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface improved the communication system performance. As described above, the network interface controller 116 includes multiple independent communication links 130 to the processor node 120 or other processor nodes, for example, via multiple ports. So, it’s clear that two or more different communication links can be used to transmit/receive at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet. Therefore, the packets 202 and 204 having sequence numbers “1” and “2,” respectively, can be received before the packets 208, 210, and 212 having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively via different communication links. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface can be precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface since the network interface controller 116 includes multiple independent communication links 130, see column 5 lines 60-63. Emphasis added. For the applicant’s convenience, see Fig. 2A is reproduced below. PNG media_image1.png 224 594 media_image1.png Greyscale 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. 4. Claims 2-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2021/0084533 A1) "herein after as Huang" in view of Stawitzky et al. (US 11,444,886 B1) "herein after as Stawitzky." As per claim 2: Huang substantially teaches or discloses a wireless communication device (see paragraph [0019], herein the example devices 100, 102 of FIG. 1 are wireless devices capable of performing multi-band link aggregation during wireless communications and Fig. 1), comprising: a plurality of communication interfaces configured to collectively receive a plurality of data packets associated with a same ordered packet stream (see paragraph [0014], herein Once the data packets are received, the recipient passes some or all the data packets in order (e.g., based on the SN of each packet) to the next MAC layer and updates the local recipient buffer record (e.g., window). For example, if all of the data packets are received, the recipient passes all the data packets in order to the next MAC layer; and paragraph [0021], herein the link aggregator 104 of the first device 100 may facilitate the transmission of the data packets using the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 by receiving data packets from the example application processor 106 and storing the data packets into a common transmit buffer, and Fig. 1), wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets is assigned a sequence number from a common sequence-number space for the same ordered packet stream that indicates a sequential order for the data packets (see paragraph [0015], herein the scoreboard context control protocol uses a window to represent an BA bitmap corresponding to which data packers have been stored in the recipient buffer. For example, when data corresponding to a particular sequence number is stored in a buffer, the scoreboard context control protocol uses the window to update the BA bitmap to identify that the data packet has been stored; paragraph [0023], a scoreboard context size (WinSizeR) that are determined during initial negotiations) corresponding to BA bitmaps that identify which data packets have been received on each interface 108, 110, 112 and stored into the receiver side reordering buffer based on the sequent number (SN) of the data packets; and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt); wherein the plurality of data packets includes a first subset received via a first communication interface and a second subset received via a second communication interface (see paragraph [0068], herein At block 912, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets to transmit per interface, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. For example, the negotiation determiner 202 may equally divide the maximum total number of data packets per transmission by the total number of interfaces used during the transmission), a common receive reordering a buffer configured to: store the plurality of data packets including the first subset received via the first communication interface and the second subset received via the second communication interface (see paragraph [0014], herein the originator receives the data packets from an application processor of the originator and stores the data packets in a transmitter buffer; and paragraph [0022], herein the link aggregator 104 of the first device 100 may facilitate the reception of the data packets using the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 by storing the received data packets using the different interfaces 108, 110, 112 into a common receiver side reorder buffer based on the initial negotiations); reorder at least one data packet of the plurality of data packets stored in the buffer according to the sequential order indicated by the sequence numbers from the common sequence-number space (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt. The application processor 106 in the recipient side receives data packets after they have been received and stored in the buffer. In this manner, the link aggregator 104 can transmit a set of ordered data packets to the example application processor 106 for further processing in the next MAC layer); and provide the reordered data packets in the sequential order (see paragraph [0014], herein Once the data packets are received, the recipient passes some or all the data packets in order (e.g., based on the SN of each packet) to the next MAC layer and updates the local recipient buffer record (e.g., window); and paragraph [0024], herein The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt). Huang does not explicitly teach wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. However, Stawitzky in the same the field of endeavor teaches wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface (see abstract, column 6, lines 13-26, herein Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126; column 8, lines 30-3, herein At a second time shown in FIG. 3B, the OOO packet 208 has been received prior to receipt of the missing packet 206, in an embodiment. In other words, the OOO packet 208 is received out of order relative to the missing packet 206 (i.e., the OOO packet 208 has a sequence number that is larger than a sequence number of the missing packet 206 and is received before the missing packet 206); and Figs. 2-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Huang with the teachings of Stawitzky by including wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. This modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface improved the communication system performance. As per claim 3: Huang teaches that wherein the buffer is configured to reorder the data packets to correct for out-of-order arrival of the data packets caused by different latencies on the plurality of communication interfaces (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt). As per claim 4: Huang teaches that wherein the plurality of communication interfaces comprises a first communication interface configured to operate on a first set of channels and a second communication interface configured to operate on a second set of channels (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof. For example, the first interface 108 may correspond to a transmission on a first channel in a first frequency band, the second interface 110 may correspond to a transmission on a second channel in a second frequency band, and the third interface 112 may correspond to a transmission on a third channel in the first frequency band. Although the example of FIG. 1 includes three interfaces, any number of interfaces from any channel and/or band may be used, and Fig. 1 interfaces 108, 110). As per claim 5: Huang teaches that wherein the first set of channels spans multiple frequencies (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof). As per claim 6: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sets of sequence number, each set corresponding to a respective communication interface(see paragraph [0025], herein the first device 100 may transmit (e.g., during an overlapping time frame or during different time frames) (A) a first set of data packets corresponding to SNs 0-255 using the first example interface 108, (B) a second set of data packets corresponding to SNs 256-511 using the second example interface 110). As per claim 7: Huang teaches that wherein the plurality of data packets are released from the buffer in sequential order in view of the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0023], herein the example link aggregator 104 updates the scoreboard context windows and the buffer reordering window based on each received data packet, the passing of one or more data packets to the next MAC layer, and/or instructions from an originator (e.g., a received BAR frame)), and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer). As per claim 8: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence number for each of the plurality of data packets is assigned by a data source that originated the data packets (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt). As per claim 9: Huang teaches that wherein the buffer is configured to cause the reordered data packets to be released from the buffer after verifying the sequential order based on the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0029], herein if the buffer reordering window corresponds to SNs 256-511, the registers of the buffer 210 are reserved to correspond to the data packets for each SN between 256 and 511. Accordingly, when the example buffer controller 204 receives a data packet, the buffer controller 204 processes the packet to identify the SN and stores the data packet in the register of the buffer 210 corresponding to the identified SN. When the data packets are to be passed to the next MAC layer, the example buffer controller 204 pulls the stored data packets and passes the data packets to the example application processor 106, and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer). As per claim 10: Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets is to prevent processing the data packets out of the sequential order (see paragraph [0022], herein the link aggregator 104 includes a common reordering buffer is per traffic identifier (TID), to exclude data packets from different TIDs being mixed into the same buffer; and paragraph [0025], the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 may (A) transmit different data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency), (B) transmit the same data packets (e.g., for decreased packet loss), or (C) some interfaces may transmit different data packets and others may transmit the same data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency and decreased packet loss)). As per claim 11: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are assigned by an upstream entity (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and Fig. 2A). As per claim 12: Huang substantially teaches or discloses a method, comprising: receiving, via a plurality of communication interfaces, a plurality of data packets, wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets associated with a same ordered packet stream (see paragraph [0014], herein Once the data packets are received, the recipient passes some or all the data packets in order (e.g., based on the SN of each packet) to the next MAC layer and updates the local recipient buffer record (e.g., window). For example, if all of the data packets are received, the recipient passes all the data packets in order to the next MAC layer; and paragraph [0021], herein the link aggregator 104 of the first device 100 may facilitate the transmission of the data packets using the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 by receiving data packets from the example application processor 106 and storing the data packets into a common transmit buffer, and Fig. 1),wherein each data packet of the plurality of data packets is assigned a sequence number from a common sequence-number space for the same ordered packet stream that indicates a sequential order for the data packets (see paragraph [0015], herein the scoreboard context control protocol uses a window to represent an BA bitmap corresponding to which data packers have been stored in the recipient buffer. For example, when data corresponding to a particular sequence number is stored in a buffer, the scoreboard context control protocol uses the window to update the BA bitmap to identify that the data packet has been stored, and paragraph [0023], a scoreboard context size (WinSizeR) that are determined during initial negotiations) corresponding to BA bitmaps that identify which data packets have been received on each interface 108, 110, 112 and stored into the receiver side reordering buffer based on the sequent number (SN) of the data packets; and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt); wherein the plurality of data packets includes a first subset received via a first communication interface and a second subset received via a second communication interface (see paragraph [0068], herein At block 912, the example negotiation determiner 202 of the first device 100 determines a maximum number of data packets to transmit per interface, based on the capabilities of the example devices 100, 102. For example, the negotiation determiner 202 may equally divide the maximum total number of data packets per transmission by the total number of interfaces used during the transmission, storing the plurality of data packets in a buffer (see paragraph [0014], herein the originator receives the data packets from an application processor of the originator and stores the data packets in a transmitter buffer); reordering at least one data packet of the plurality of data packets stored in the buffer according to the sequential order indicated by the sequence numbers from the common sequence-number space (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt. The application processor 106 in the recipient side receives data packets after they have been received and stored in the buffer. In this manner, the link aggregator 104 can transmit a set of ordered data packets to the example application processor 106 for further processing in the next MAC layer). Huang does not explicitly teach wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. However, Stawitzky in the same the field of endeavor teaches wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface (see abstract, column 6, lines 13-26, herein Packets 208, 210, and 212 are “out of order” packets having sequence numbers “4,” “5,” and “6,” respectively, and arrive before the missing packet 206. In various embodiments, the missing packet 206 arrives after the OOO packets, or is re-transmitted by the network interface controller 116 (e.g., after waiting a period of time without receiving a confirmation of receipt at the network interface controller 126; column 8, lines 30-3, herein At a second time shown in FIG. 3B, the OOO packet 208 has been received prior to receipt of the missing packet 206, in an embodiment. In other words, the OOO packet 208 is received out of order relative to the missing packet 206 (i.e., the OOO packet 208 has a sequence number that is larger than a sequence number of the missing packet 206 and is received before the missing packet 206); and Figs. 2-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify the system of Huang with the teachings of Stawitzky by including wherein at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface. This modification would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, because one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the second communication interface precedes at least one sequence number assigned to a data packet received via the first communication interface improved the communication system performance. As per claim 13: Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets comprising correcting for out-of-order arrival of the data packets caused by different latencies on the plurality of communication interfaces (see paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt). As per claim 14: Huang teaches that wherein receiving the plurality of data packets comprises operating a first communication interface on a first set of channels and operating a second communication interface on a second set of channels (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof. For example, the first interface 108 may correspond to a transmission on a first channel in a first frequency band, the second interface 110 may correspond to a transmission on a second channel in a second frequency band, and the third interface 112 may correspond to a transmission on a third channel in the first frequency band. Although the example of FIG. 1 includes three interfaces, any number of interfaces from any channel and/or band may be used, and Fig. 1 interfaces 108, 110). As per claim 15: Huang teaches that wherein the first set of channels spans multiple frequencies (see paragraph [0025], herein the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 of FIG. 1 represent data transmissions on different frequency bands, different channels in the same band, and/or any combination thereof). As per claim 16: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are maintained in one or more sets of sequence numbers (see paragraph [0025], herein the first device 100 may transmit (e.g., during an overlapping time frame or during different time frames) (A) a first set of data packets corresponding to SNs 0-255 using the first example interface 108, (B) a second set of data packets corresponding to SNs 256-511 using the second example interface 110). As per claim 17: Huang teaches that further comprising releasing the plurality of data packets from the buffer in sequential order in view of the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0023], herein the example link aggregator 104 updates the scoreboard context windows and the buffer reordering window based on each received data packet, the passing of one or more data packets to the next MAC layer, and/or instructions from an originator (e.g., a received BAR frame)), and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer). As per claim 18: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence number for each of the plurality of data packets is assigned by a data source that originated the data packets (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface, and paragraph [0024], herein the application processor 106 in the originator pushes the data packets to the example link aggregator 104 to be temporarily stored in the transmit buffer until all the data packets have been successfully transmitted to a recipient or have been timeout. The application processor 106 includes a SN for each data packet a so that the recipient can reorder the data buffers upon receipt). As per claim 19: Huang teaches that further comprising causing the data packets to be released from the buffer after verifying the sequential order based on the sequence numbers (see paragraph [0029], herein if the buffer reordering window corresponds to SNs 256-511, the registers of the buffer 210 are reserved to correspond to the data packets for each SN between 256 and 511. Accordingly, when the example buffer controller 204 receives a data packet, the buffer controller 204 processes the packet to identify the SN and stores the data packet in the register of the buffer 210 corresponding to the identified SN. When the data packets are to be passed to the next MAC layer, the example buffer controller 204 pulls the stored data packets and passes the data packets to the example application processor 106, and paragraph [0032], herein window determiner 206 updates the reordering buffer window when a data packet with a SN that is outside of the reordering buffer window is received and/or when data packets stored in the buffer are passed to the next MAC layer). As per claim 20: Huang teaches that wherein reordering the data packets is performed to prevent processing the data packets out of the sequential order (see paragraph [0022], herein the link aggregator 104 includes a common reordering buffer is per traffic identifier (TID), to exclude data packets from different TIDs being mixed into the same buffer; and paragraph [0025], the example interfaces 108, 110, 112 may (A) transmit different data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency), (B) transmit the same data packets (e.g., for decreased packet loss), or (C) some interfaces may transmit different data packets and others may transmit the same data packets (e.g., for increased efficiency and decreased packet loss)). As per claim 21: Huang teaches that wherein the sequence numbers are assigned by an upstream entity (see paragraph [0016], herein additional sequence numbers (e.g., corresponding to a global sequence number) may be added to a header of data packets to track each of the data packets from each interface). Examiner Notes 5. When amending the claims, applicants are respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention. Prior Art 6. The prior art of record, considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure, is listed in the attached PTO-892 form. Conclusion 7. 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 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 OSMAN ALSHACK whose telephone number is (571)272-2069. The examiner can normally be reached on MON-FRI 8:30 AM-5:00 PM EST, also please fax interview request to (571) 273- 2069. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ALBERT DECADY can be reached on 5712723819. 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. /OSMAN M ALSHACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2112