CTNF 18/784,637 CTNF 85280 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chu (US 11,546,021 B2, hereinafter Chu) in view of Chitrakar (WO 2017/150041 A1, hereinafter Chitrakar) . Regarding claim 1, Chu discloses a communication apparatus that operates as a master access point in a wireless network that includes another communication apparatus operating as a slave access point and a station (figure 1A, master AP 34 , slave AP 44), the communication apparatus comprising (FIGURE 1a, Master 34, Slave 44); at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and at least one processing circuit, wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations comprising: generating a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus and (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6). Chu does not disclose includes a User Info field for the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point transmitting the trigger frame to the other access point operating as the slave access point); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access point to which the trigger frame has been transmitted. Chitrakar discloses includes a User Info field for the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point (¶[0034], trigger frame 600 includes user info fields, figure 6, ¶[0035]) transmitting the trigger frame to the other access point operating as the slave access point (¶[0004]); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access point to which the trigger frame has been transmitted (¶[0017]-¶[0020]) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 2, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the User Info field of the trigger frame includes a description regarding a resource to be assigned to the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point Chitrakar discloses wherein the User Info field of the trigger frame includes a description regarding a resource to be assigned to the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point (¶[0035], ¶[0053]-¶[0054], per User info allocations RU1/RU2/RU3). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating APs Regarding claim 3, Chu discloses AP coordination messaging indicating coordinated participation with the exception of wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations further comprising: receiving, before the trigger frame is generated, from the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point, a notification notifying that the other communication apparatus is to participate in the coordinated transmission (¶[0018], wherein the trigger frame includes the notification). Chitrakar discloses wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations further comprising: receiving, before the trigger frame is generated, from the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point, a notification notifying that the other communication apparatus is to participate in the coordinated transmission (¶[0018], wherein the trigger frame includes the notification, ¶[0019]-¶[0020]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 4, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the trigger frame includes a description indicating a resource to be assigned to the other communication apparatus that has notified that the other communication apparatus is to participate in the coordinated transmission. Chitrakar discloses wherein the trigger frame includes a description indicating a resource to be assigned to the other communication apparatus that has notified that the other communication apparatus is to participate in the coordinated transmission (¶[0035], figures 7A-7D). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating APs Regarding claim 5, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein, after transmitting an NDPA (null data packet announcement) to the stations connected to the communication apparatus and other communication apparatus operating as an access point, the communication apparatus receives, from the other communication apparatus as the access point, the notification as to whether or not to participate in the coordinated transmission. Chitrakar discloses wherein, after transmitting an NDPA (null data packet announcement) to the stations connected to the communication apparatus and other communication apparatus operating as an access point, the communication apparatus receives, from the other communication apparatus as the access point, the notification as to whether or not to participate in the coordinated transmission (¶[0060]-¶[0061]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding 6, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the trigger frame has at least one field conforming to a field specified by IEEE802.11ax, wherein a Common Info field in the trigger frame has a value indicating that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission. Chitrakar discloses wherein the trigger frame has at least one field conforming to a field specified by IEEE802.11ax, wherein a Common Info field in the trigger frame has a value indicating that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission (¶[0050]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s trigger fields to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 7, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the Common Info field includes a four-bit Trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the Trigger type subfield indicates that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission. Chitrakar discloses wherein the Common Info field includes a four-bit Trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the Trigger type subfield indicates that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission (¶[0050]-¶[0052]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s trigger fields to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 8, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the trigger frame includes a Trigger type subfield that has a value indicating an instruction to perform the coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point. Chitrakar discloses wherein the trigger frame includes a Trigger type subfield that has a value indicating an instruction to perform the coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point (¶[0050]-¶[0053]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s trigger fields to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 9, Chu discloses a wireless communication system in which a plurality of access points and one or more stations constitute a wireless network, wherein one access point out of the plurality of access points operates as a master access point (figure 1A), and another access point out of the plurality of access points operates as a slave access point, the master access point comprising: at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and at least one processing circuit (figure 1A) , wherein the master access point in the wireless communication system is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations comprising: generating a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the slave access point ( column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6) Chu does not disclose and includes a User Info field for the slave access point; transmitting the trigger frame to the slave access point; and executing the coordinated transmission with the slave access point that has received the trigger frame to the one or more stations. Chitrakar discloses and includes a User Info field for the slave access point(¶[0035]-¶[0036]) ; transmitting the trigger frame to the slave access point; and executing the coordinated transmission with the slave access point that has received the trigger frame to the one or more stations (¶[0035]-¶[0036]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps Regarding claim 10, Chu discloses a controlling method for controlling an access point that operates as a master access point of a wireless network that includes one or more other access points operating as slave access points and one or more stations, the method comprising (figure 1A): generating a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with an access point operating as the slave access point (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6) and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point; transmitting the trigger frame to the access point operating as the slave access point; and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access points to which the trigger frame has been transmitted. Chu does not disclose and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point; transmitting the trigger frame to the access point operating as the slave access point; and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access points to which the trigger frame has been transmitted. Chitrakar discloses and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point; transmitting the trigger frame to the access point operating as the slave access point (¶[0035]-¶[0036]); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access points to which the trigger frame has been transmitted (¶[0035]-¶[0036]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 11, Chu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform a controlling method for controlling an access point that operates as a master access point of a wireless network that includes one or more other access points operating as slave access points and one or more stations, the method comprising: (figure 1 A) generating a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with an access point operating as the slave access point (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6). Chu does not disclose ; and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point transmitting the trigger frame to the access point operating as the slave access point; and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access points to which the trigger frame has been transmitted. Chitrakar discloses and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point transmitting the trigger frame to the access point operating as the slave access point (¶[0035]-¶[0036]); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access points to which the trigger frame has been transmitted (¶[0035]-¶[0036]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 12, Chu discloses a communication apparatus that operates as a slave access point in a wireless network that includes another communication apparatus operating as a master access point and one or more stations, the apparatus comprising (figure 1A, slave AP (44): at least one memory that stores a set of instructions; and at least one processing circuit, wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations comprising (figure 1A): receiving, from the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point, a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point (figure 1A) . Chu does not disclose and includes a User Info field for the communication apparatus operating as the slave access point; and executing, with the other communication apparatus as the master access point, the coordinated transmission to the one or more stations, based on the received trigger frame. Chitrakar discloses and includes a User Info field for the communication apparatus operating as the slave access point (¶[0034]-¶[0035]); and executing, with the other communication apparatus as the master access point, the coordinated transmission to the one or more stations, based on the received trigger frame (¶[0034]-¶[0035]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 13, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the trigger frame has at least one field conforming to a field specified by IEEE802.11ax, wherein a Common Info field in the trigger frame has a value indicating that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission. Chitrakar discloses wherein the trigger frame has at least one field conforming to a field specified by IEEE802.11ax, wherein a Common Info field in the trigger frame has a value indicating that the trigger frame triggers the coordinated transmission (¶[0050]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 14, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations comprising: obtaining channel state information between the communication apparatus and the one or more stations; determining whether or not to participate in the coordinated transmission based on the channel state information obtained by the obtaining; and transmitting, to the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point, a result of the determination performed by the determining. Chitrakar discloses wherein the communication apparatus is caused, by at least one of the at least one processing circuit executing the instructions or the at least one processing circuit operating, to perform operations comprising: obtaining channel state information between the communication apparatus and the one or more stations; determining whether or not to participate in the coordinated transmission based on the channel state information obtained by the obtaining; and transmitting, to the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point, a result of the determination performed by the determining (¶[0056]-¶[0063]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 15, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of 15 wherein, in the obtaining, after receiving NDPA from the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point, the channel state information based on the NDP is received from the one or more stations. Chitrakar discloses wherein, in the obtaining, after receiving NDPA from the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point, the channel state information bas ed on the NDP is received from the one or more stations (¶[0060]-¶0061]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 16, Chu discloses all subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the trigger frame includes a Trigger type subfield that has a value indicating an instruction to perform the coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point. Chitrakar discloses wherein the trigger frame includes a Trigger type subfield that has a value indicating an instruction to perform the coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus operating as the master access point (¶[0050]-¶[0053]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps Regarding claim 17, Chu discloses a control method for controlling an access point that operates as a slave access point of a wireless network that includes other access point operating as a master access point and one or more stations, the method comprising (figure 1A ,figure 2): generating a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the other communication apparatus and (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6). receiving, from the other access point operating as the master access point, a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the other access point operating as the master access point and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point; and executing, with the other access point as the master access point, the coordinated transmission to the one or more stations, based on the received trigger frame (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure 6). Chu does not disclose includes a User Info field for the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point transmitting the trigger frame to the other access point operating as the slave access point); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access point to which the trigger frame has been transmitted. Chitrakar discloses includes a User Info field for the other communication apparatus operating as the slave access point (¶[0034], trigger frame 600 includes user info fields, figure 6, ¶[0035]) transmitting the trigger frame to the other access point operating as the slave access point (¶[0004]); and executing the coordinated transmission with the other access point to which the trigger frame has been transmitted (¶[0017]-¶[0020]) Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Regarding claim 18, Chu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform an access point control method for controlling an access point that operates as a slave access point and constitutes a wireless network that includes another access point operating as a master access point and one or more stations (figure 1A) , the method comprising: receiving, from the other access point operating as the master access point, a trigger frame that is used for triggering a coordinated transmission with the other access point operating as the master access point (column 8, lined 52-67,column 9 lines 1-15, figure . Chu does not disclose and includes a User Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point ; and executing, with the other access point as the master, the coordinated transmission to the one or more stations, based on the received trigger frame (¶[0034]-¶[0035]). Chitrakar discloses and includes a User [Info field for the access point operating as the slave access point (¶[0034]-¶[0035]); and executing, with the other access point as the master, the coordinated transmission to the one or more stations, based on the received trigger frame (¶[0034]-¶[0035]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to make the proposed modify Chu’s coordinated AP signaling to include Chitrakar’s User Info field resource allocation mechanism to improve coordination efficiency and explicit resource assignment among participating Aps. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANGEL T BROCKMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5664. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:00 AM-4:30 PM . 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ANGEL T BROCKMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 2 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 3 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 4 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 5 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 6 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 7 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 8 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 9 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 10 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 11 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 12 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 13 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 14 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 15 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 16 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 17 Art Unit: 2412 Application/Control Number: 18/784,637 Page 18 Art Unit: 2412
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