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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1, 3-8, 17, 19-30 are pending in Instant Application.
Claims 2, 9-16, 18 are cancelled.
The Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101 is withdrawn.
Priority
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s claim to priority benefits of CN202210023778.9 filed 01/10/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 11/04/2024, 03/18/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed in the amendment filed 04/27/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view grounds of rejection. The reasons set forth below.
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.
Claims 1, 3-8, 17, 19-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sadeghi et al., “hereinafter Sadeghi” (U.S. Patent: 11758427) in view of Larsen (U.S. patent Application: 20130117828) and further in view of Patil et al., “hereinafter Patil” (U.S. patent Application: 20200137702).
As per Claim 1, Sadeghi discloses an apparatus for communication, wherein the apparatus includes an access point and comprises:
a transceiver (Sadeghi, Col.7, Line:3-6, The communication station 1400 may include communications circuitry 1402 and a transceiver 1410 for transmitting and receiving signals to and from other communication stations using one or more antennas 1401.), configured to:
send first indication information (Sadeghi, Col.2, Line;36-39, perform a WLAN sensing protocol within a basic service set (BSS) comprising one or more stations (STAs) (STA1 104 and STA2 106) including an access point station (AP STA), Col.3, Line:18-23, if the AP STA 102 is designated as the sensing receiver during the negotiation phase 206, during the measurement phase 208, the AP STA 102 is configured to encode a trigger frame 806 for transmission to the STAs (STA1 104 and STA2 106) that have been designated as sensing transmitters during the negotiation phase 206, Col.4, Line:41-44, the STA1 104, when operating as the sensing initiator may receive during the negotiation phase 206 the identities of the STA2s 106 that are available as sensing transmitters from the AP STA 102.), the station list comprises at least one sensing by proxy (SBP) responding station, and the station list comprises the second station (Sadeghi, Col.5, Line:65-67-Col.6, Line:1-11, the sensing initiator may be a HE STA or a DMG STA or another 802.11 STA that sets up a sensing session by transmitting a sensing request frame 802. The sensing responder(s) may be a HE STA or a DMG STA that agrees to participate in a sensing session by transmitting a sensing response frame 804 in response to the reception of a sensing request frame 802. Sensing transmitter(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s), plus possibly legacy STAs, that transmit at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session. Sensing receiver(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s) that receive at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session; and
send the sensing information of the second station to the first station (Sadeghi, Col.3, Line:66-67, the STA1 104 receives UL sensing packets transmitted by the STA2s 106 operating as sensing transmitters in response to a trigger frame 806 transmitted by the AP STA 102.);
wherein the apparatus is a proxy of the first station, the proxy is configured to obtain the sensing information of the second station for the first station (Sadeghi, Col.5, Line:02-12, the STA1 104 sends a request to the AP STA 102 to initiate sensing service. During the measurement phase 208, if the STA1 104 is operating as a sensing transmitter, the STA1 104 is configured to decode a trigger frame 806 from the AP STA 102 to trigger transmission of an UL sensing packet 808 and encode the UL sensing packet 808 for transmission to the AP STA 102 in response to the trigger frame 806. In these embodiments, during the reporting phase 210, the STA1 104 is configured to decode a measurement report 812 received from the AP STA 102.), the first station is an SBP requesting station, and the second station is an SBP responding station (Sadeghi, Col.5, Line:65-67, the sensing initiator may be a HE STA or a DMG STA or another 802.11 STA that sets up a sensing session by transmitting a sensing request frame 802. The sensing responder(s) may be a HE STA or a DMG STA that agrees to participate in a sensing session by transmitting a sensing response frame 804 in response to the reception of a sensing request frame 802.).
However Sadeghi does not explicitly disclose the first indication information indicates that the apparatus accepts the first station to obtain sensing information of a second station.
Larsen discloses the first indication information indicates that the apparatus accepts the first station to obtain sensing information of a second station (Larsen, Para.21, A station receiving a message as an intermediate or destination station from another station may transmit a certificate request message, directly or indirectly, to the source station requesting that the source station send its certificate to the said receiving station to enable the said receiving station to verify the authentication status and/or the authorization and access permitted, Para.65, If the smartcard (and by association the user station) is found to be valid, the Authentication and Certification Server will be able to access the additional information and can transmit the Authentication and Certification Server public key, the user station's new certificated private key, and a certificate that includes the user station's public key. The messages will be encoded using the special secret cipher key (CK) and the integrity key (IK) that are known only to the user and Authentication Station. Only the user station can open this message and read the contents, and the user station can verify that it comes from the Authentication and Certification Server and that it has not been tampered with in any way.).).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Sadeghi with the teachings as in Larsen. The motivation for doing so would have been for provided a method of operating a network comprising a plurality of stations each able to transmit and receive data so that the network can transmit data between stations via at least one selected intermediate station, wherein the network comprises a plurality of levels of stations including a first level comprising user and/or seed stations, a second level comprising auxiliary stations providing access to auxiliary networks, a third level comprising at least one location management station, and a fourth level comprising at least one authentication station (Larsen, Para.3).
However Sadeghi and Larsen do not explicitly disclose send a station list to a first station.
Patil discloses send first indication information and a station list to a first station (Patil, Para.09, a processing system configured to generate a message comprising the list of the one or more stations, and a second interface configured to output the message for transmission to the first AP, Para.15, the apparatus is associated with a second AP, the first AP and the second AP being associated with different BSSs, generating a message comprising the list of the one or more stations, and outputting the message for transmission to the first AP).
The Primary reference Sadeghi does not explicitly discloses “the station list”. The reference Sadeghi discloses plurality of the stations and identify the designated stations from the plurality of the stations. The reference Patil discloses the station list.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Sadeghi with the teachings as in Patil. The motivation for doing so would have been for generate a message comprising coordination information, wherein the apparatus is associated with a first access point (AP), the message to be used for coordinated communications by the first AP and a second AP, wherein the first AP and the second AP are associated with different basic service sets (BSSs), and an interface configured to output the message for transmission during a networking coordination window of a networking cluster. (Patil, Para.4).
With respect to Claim 17, 21, 25 are substantially similar to Claim 1 and are rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
As per claim 3, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to send sensing information of any SBP responding station in the station list to the first station (Sadeghi, Col.5, Line:65-67-Col.6, Line:1-11, the sensing initiator may be a HE STA or a DMG STA or another 802.11 STA that sets up a sensing session by transmitting a sensing request frame 802. The sensing responder(s) may be a HE STA or a DMG STA that agrees to participate in a sensing session by transmitting a sensing response frame 804 in response to the reception of a sensing request frame 802. Sensing transmitter(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s), plus possibly legacy STAs, that transmit at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session. Sensing receiver(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s) that receive at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session, Col.2, Line:57-67, the STAs of the BSS that support WLAN sensing are discovered, at least one of the STAs is identified as a sensing receiver, and one or more of the STAs are identified as potential sensing transmitters. In some embodiments, during the negotiation phase 206, a measurement frequency is determined and one or more of the STAs, identified as the potential sensing transmitters, are designated as sensing transmitters. In some embodiments, during the measurement phase 208, the one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing transmitters are configured to transmit sensing packets for sensing measurements by one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing receivers. In some embodiments, during the reporting phase 210, the sensing measurements are provided to the sensing initiator.).
With respect to Claim 26 is substantially similar to Claim 3 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
As per claim 4, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
send first request information to the second station, wherein the first request information is used to request to obtain the sensing information of the second station for the first station (Sadeghi, Col.3, Line:57-67, - Col.4, Line:1-10, the STA1 104 sends a request to the AP STA 102 to initiate a sensing service, the STA1 104 indicates its availability as the sensing receiver, and the AP STA 102 receives identities of the STA2s 106 that are available as the sensing transmitters… the STA1 104 further receives DL sensing packet 810s transmitted by the AP STA 102 if the AP STA 102 is configured to operate as one of the sensing transmitters. During the measurement phase 208, the STA1 104 may receive the UL sensing packets from the STA2s 106 and the DL sensing packet 810s from the AP STA 102 in accordance with the measurement periodicity.); and
receive second indication information sent by the second station(Sadeghi, Col.3, Line:57-60, the STA1 104 sends a request to the AP STA 102 to initiate a sensing service, the STA1 104 indicates its availability as the sensing receiver, and the AP STA 102 receives identities of the STA2s 106 that are available as the sensing transmitters... the STA1 104, operating as the sensing receiver, receives an indication from the AP STA 102 which of the STA2s 106 are designated as the sensing transmitters and a measurement periodicity is determined.);
However Sadeghi does not disclose the second indication information indicates that the second station accepts the first station to obtain the sensing information of the second station.
Larsen discloses the second indication information indicates that the second station accepts the first station to obtain the sensing information of the second station (Larsen, Para.21, A station receiving a message as an intermediate or destination station from another station may transmit a certificate request message, directly or indirectly, to the source station requesting that the source station send its certificate to the said receiving station to enable the said receiving station to verify the authentication status and/or the authorization and access permitted, Para.65, If the smartcard (and by association the user station) is found to be valid, the Authentication and Certification Server will be able to access the additional information and can transmit the Authentication and Certification Server public key, the user station's new certificated private key, and a certificate that includes the user station's public key. The messages will be encoded using the special secret cipher key (CK) and the integrity key (IK) that are known only to the user and Authentication Station. Only the user station can open this message and read the contents, and the user station can verify that it comes from the Authentication and Certification Server and that it has not been tampered with in any way.).).
With respect to Claim 27 is substantially similar to Claim 4 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 5.
As per claim 5, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 4,
However Sadeghi does not disclose the first request information comprises verification information of the first station, and the verification information indicates an identity of the first station.
Larsen discloses the first request information comprises verification information of the first station, and the verification information indicates an identity of the first station (Larsen, Para.21, A station receiving a message as an intermediate or destination station from another station may transmit a certificate request message, directly or indirectly, to the source station requesting that the source station send its certificate to the said receiving station to enable the said receiving station to verify the authentication status and/or the authorization and access permitted, Para.19, The authentication data may comprise a certificate, an authentication station public key and a station- and/or user-specific private key to the station requiring authentication.).
With respect to Claim 21 is substantially similar to Claim 5 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 5.
As per claim 6, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the transceiver is further configured to:
However Sadeghi does not disclose receive first information sent by the second station, wherein the first information indicates that the first station is a trusted station of the second station; and send the first information to the first station.
Larsen discloses receive first information sent by the second station, wherein the first information indicates that the first station is a trusted station of the second station; and send the first information to the first station (Larsen, Para.21, A station receiving a message as an intermediate or destination station from another station may transmit a certificate request message, directly or indirectly, to the source station requesting that the source station send its certificate to the said receiving station to enable the said receiving station to verify the authentication status and/or the authorization and access permitted, Para.71, Each station then provides its certificate (encoded with its private key) in certain slow probes, so that its neighbor stations receiving the probes will be able to know what they are permitted to do for the station. These neighbors use the public key received from the Authentication and Certification Server to do this which will enable them to access the information. The certificate, together with the public keys, enables the network station to authenticate and communicate with any other nodes on the network. The station will also be able to confirm that the stations around it are valid from their certificates.).
With respect to Claim 22 is substantially similar to Claim 6 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 6.
As per claim 7, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one processor and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor, and wherein the one or more memories store programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor.
However Sadeghi does not disclose determine that the sensing information of the second station is first-type sensing information, wherein the first-type sensing information is sensing information that needs to be authorized by the second station.
Larsen discloses the sensing information of the second station is first-type sensing information, wherein the first-type sensing information is sensing information that needs to be authorized by the second station (Larsen, Para.71, Each station then provides its certificate (encoded with its private key) in certain slow probes, so that its neighbor stations receiving the probes will be able to know what they are permitted to do for the station. These neighbors use the public key received from the Authentication and Certification Server to do this which will enable them to access the information. The certificate, together with the public keys, enables the network station to authenticate and communicate with any other nodes on the network. The station will also be able to confirm that the stations around it are valid from their certificates, Para.76, The certificate of any station on the network can be obtained by any other station on the network through the probes received, or it can be requested from the station (in a manner similar to fast probing), or from the Authentication and Certification Server, or from any other station that might have access to the certificate. Provided the Authentication and Certification Server public key decodes the certificate, a station will be able to verify that the certificate is genuine.).
With respect to Claim 23 is substantially similar to Claim 7 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 7.
As per claim 8, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one processor and one or more memories coupled to the at least one processor, and wherein the one or more memories store programming instructions for execution by the at least one processor.
However Sadeghi does not disclose determine that the first station is a first-type station, wherein the first-type station is a station that needs to be authorized by the second station.
Larsen discloses determine that the first station is a first-type station, wherein the first-type station is a station that needs to be authorized by the second station (Larsen, Para.59, The Authentication and Certification Server has access to information relating to all the stations operating in the network as well all the identity numbers associated with the smartcards inserted in every station. This allows the Authentication and Certification Server to send a private key over a secure channel that is unique to the user station, back to the user station without any other station being able to retrieve the key. However, in order to do this, the Authentication and Certification Server will first need to verify the legitimacy of the smartcard. Moreover, the station will need to verify that the Authentication and Certification Server is genuine, to prevent any unauthorized Authentication).
With respect to Claim 24 is substantially similar to Claim 8 and is rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 8.
As per claim 18, the modified Sadeghi disclose the method according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the access point, a station list to the first station, wherein the station list comprises at least one SBP responding station, and the station list comprises the second station (Sadeghi, Col.2, Line:31-40, an apparatus of a wireless communication device is configurable for WLAN sensing. The wireless communication device may either be an AP or a non-AP STA...a basic service set (BSS) comprising one or more stations (STAs) (STA1 104 and STA2 106) including an access point station (AP STA), Col.2, Line:57-67, the STAs of the BSS that support WLAN sensing are discovered, at least one of the STAs is identified as a sensing receiver, and one or more of the STAs are identified as potential sensing transmitters…the one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing transmitters are configured to transmit sensing packets for sensing measurements by one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing receivers, Col.5, Line:65-67-Col.6, Line:1-11, the sensing initiator may be a HE STA or a DMG STA or another 802.11 STA that sets up a sensing session by transmitting a sensing request frame 802. The sensing responder(s) may be a HE STA or a DMG STA that agrees to participate in a sensing session by transmitting a sensing response frame 804 in response to the reception of a sensing request frame 802. Sensing transmitter(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s), plus possibly legacy STAs, that transmit at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session. Sensing receiver(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s) that receive at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session.).
As per claim 19, the modified Sadeghi disclose the method according to claim 18, wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the access point, sensing information of any SBP responding station in the station list to the first station (Sadeghi, Col.5, Line:65-67-Col.6, Line:1-11, the sensing initiator may be a HE STA or a DMG STA or another 802.11 STA that sets up a sensing session by transmitting a sensing request frame 802. The sensing responder(s) may be a HE STA or a DMG STA that agrees to participate in a sensing session by transmitting a sensing response frame 804 in response to the reception of a sensing request frame 802. Sensing transmitter(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s), plus possibly legacy STAs, that transmit at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session. Sensing receiver(s) may be a subset of the group formed by the initiator and responder(s) that receive at each measurement event(s) of a sensing session, Col.2, Line:57-67, the STAs of the BSS that support WLAN sensing are discovered, at least one of the STAs is identified as a sensing receiver, and one or more of the STAs are identified as potential sensing transmitters. In some embodiments, during the negotiation phase 206, a measurement frequency is determined and one or more of the STAs, identified as the potential sensing transmitters, are designated as sensing transmitters. In some embodiments, during the measurement phase 208, the one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing transmitters are configured to transmit sensing packets for sensing measurements by one or more STAs that are designated as the sensing receivers. In some embodiments, during the reporting phase 210, the sensing measurements are provided to the sensing initiator.)
As per claim 20, the modified Sadeghi disclose the method according to claim 17, wherein before sending, by the access point, the first indication information to the first station, the method further comprises: sending, by the access point, first request information to the second station, wherein the first request information is used to request to obtain the sensing information of the second station for the first station (Sadeghi, Col.3, Line:57-67, - Col.4, Line:1-10, the STA1 104 sends a request to the AP STA 102 to initiate a sensing service, the STA1 104 indicates its availability as the sensing receiver, and the AP STA 102 receives identities of the STA2s 106 that are available as the sensing transmitters… the STA1 104 further receives DL sensing packet 810s transmitted by the AP STA 102 if the AP STA 102 is configured to operate as one of the sensing transmitters. During the measurement phase 208, the STA1 104 may receive the UL sensing packets from the STA2s 106 and the DL sensing packet 810s from the AP STA 102 in accordance with the measurement periodicity.); and receiving, by the access point, second indication information sent by the second station (Sadeghi, Col.3, Line:57-60, the STA1 104 sends a request to the AP STA 102 to initiate a sensing service, the STA1 104 indicates its availability as the sensing receiver, and the AP STA 102 receives identities of the STA2s 106 that are available as the sensing transmitters... the STA1 104, operating as the sensing receiver, receives an indication from the AP STA 102 which of the STA2s 106 are designated as the sensing transmitters and a measurement periodicity is determined.);
However Sadeghi does not disclose the second indication information indicates that the second station accepts the first station to obtain the sensing information of the second station.
Larsen discloses the second indication information indicates that the second station accepts the first station to obtain the sensing information of the second station (Larsen, Para.21, A station receiving a message as an intermediate or destination station from another station may transmit a certificate request message, directly or indirectly, to the source station requesting that the source station send its certificate to the said receiving station to enable the said receiving station to verify the authentication status and/or the authorization and access permitted, Para.65, If the smartcard (and by association the user station) is found to be valid, the Authentication and Certification Server will be able to access the additional information and can transmit the Authentication and Certification Server public key, the user station's new certificated private key, and a certificate that includes the user station's public key. The messages will be encoded using the special secret cipher key (CK) and the integrity key (IK) that are known only to the user and Authentication Station. Only the user station can open this message and read the contents, and the user station can verify that it comes from the Authentication and Certification Server and that it has not been tampered with in any way.).).
The same motivation that was utilized for combining Sadeghi and Larsen as set forth in claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 20.
Claims 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sadeghi et al., “hereinafter Sadeghi” (U.S. Patent: 11758427) in view of Larsen (U.S. patent Application: 20130117828) in view of Patil et al., “hereinafter Patil” (U.S. patent Application: 20200137702) and further in view of Hansen et al., “hereinafter Hansen” (U.S. patent Application: 20150172406)
As per claim 28, the modified Sadeghi disclose the apparatus according to claim 1,
However the modified Sadeghi does not disclose receive proxy request information from the first station, and wherein the proxy request information is used to request the apparatus to become a proxy of the first station.
Hansen discloses receive proxy request information from the first station, wherein the proxy request information is used to request the apparatus to become a proxy of the first station (Hansen, Para.7, The client proxy may include an intermediary program, terminal, and/or device, which acts as a client and/or server for the purpose of making requests on behalf on a client across the communications network to the hub proxy. A client may include a user's device that establishes connections with the client proxy for the purpose of sending requests and receiving responses to those requests. A hub proxy may include a program, a device, an earth terminal or station that transmits and/or receives signals from the client proxy and may act as an intermediary on behalf of the client proxy when interacting with one or more servers, such as an Internet server, a VPN server and so forth.).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Sadeghi, Larsen, Patil with the teachings as in Hansen. The motivation for doing so would have been for providing one embodiment of the communications network system may take the form a performance enhancing proxy (PEP) system and method for operating a PEP system. An exemplary PEP system may include a configuration of software components and/or hardware devices designed to facilitate the performance of a two-way broadband service. (Hansen, Para.4).
With respect to Claim 29, 30 are substantially similar to Claim 28 and are rejected in the same manner, the same art and reasoning applying.
Conclusion
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/NORMIN ABEDIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2449
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