DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is a response to communications dated 08/29/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements filed 08/29/2024, 01/10/2025, 06/04/2026, and 06/08/2026 comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609. They have been considered and placed in the application file.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the recitations of “receiving, by the first wireless communication device, from a second wireless communication device, an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 1-6; “transmitting an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 7-10; “receive as input to the processing unit an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 11-16, and “output an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 17-20. must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The instant application is a continuation of the prior-filed patent application 17/534,147 issued into patent number 12,108,282. The disclosure of a continuation application must be the same as the disclosure of the prior-filed application. See MPEP § 201.07. The disclosure of a continuation or divisional application cannot include anything which would constitute new matter if inserted in the prior-filed application. As a result, the abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it introduces new matter in the recitations of “and subsequently receiving a trigger based frame from a second wireless communication device, whose U-SIG field Disregard subfields contain predefined bits set to values of corresponding bits from the trigger frame.” A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: “receiving, by the first wireless communication device, from a second wireless communication device, an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 1-6; “transmitting an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 7-10; “receive as input to the processing unit an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 11-16, and “output an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 17-20.
Claim Objections
Claims 7 and 17 are objected to because of the following informalities:
As per claim 7, line 5, “trigger frame:” should be replaced with --trigger frame;--.
As per claim 17, line 6, “trigger frame:” should be replaced with --trigger frame;--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. There is no support for the claim limitations of “receiving, by the first wireless communication device, from a second wireless communication device, an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 1-6; “transmitting an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 7-10; “receive as input to the processing unit an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 11-16, and “output an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 17-20, in the prior-filed application 17/534,147, parent application of the instant application.
The instant application is a continuation of the prior-filed patent application 17/534,147 issued into patent number 12,108,282. The disclosure of a continuation application must be the same as the disclosure of the prior-filed application. See MPEP § 201.07. The disclosure of a continuation or divisional application cannot include anything which would constitute new matter if inserted in the prior-filed application. Therefore, the claim limitations of “receiving, by the first wireless communication device, from a second wireless communication device, an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 1-6; “transmitting an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 7-10; “receive as input to the processing unit an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 11-16, and “output an EHT trigger based (TB) physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising a U-SIG field, the U-SIG field containing 11 Disregard bits which are set to values of corresponding bits in the U-Sig-Disregard subfields of the trigger frame,” as commonly recited in claims 17-20, if inserted in the prior-filed application 17/534,147 would constitute new matter.
Allowable Subject Matter
Due to the above issues, there is no art applied in the determination of the allowability of the claims as this time. However, should the response to this Office Action overcome all of the above raised issues, the instant application shall be placed in a favorable condition for allowance for the same at least one of the rationales applied in the allowance of the prior filed patent application 17/534,147.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vermani et al. (US 11,984,976).
Jeon et al. (US 11,979,866).
Shellhammer et al. (US 11,924,812).
Lim et al. (US 2022/0116921).
Chu et al. (US 10,334,571).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FRANK DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-3164. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-3:30PM.
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Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
/FRANK DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 August 3, 2026
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