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 1-20 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/14/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 of this title, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2024/0251355 A1) in view of Sun et al. (US 2023/0308938 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses
a method comprising: identifying, by a wireless device, low latency data to be sent to an access point (AP) in accordance with an uplink multi-user mode, wherein the low latency data corresponds to a type defined by an access category (AC) or traffic identifier (TID) excluded from the uplink multi- user mode (Paragraphs 0089-0090, 0166-0169 disclose a non-AP STA may transmit or receive traffic corresponding to the TID transmitted from the AP within the TWT SP. In this case, the specific condition may be a condition (for example, low-latency traffic, etc.) related to a transmission delay of traffic, and transmission of traffic having the specific condition may be restricted. The restriction of transmission may mean that transmission is impossible during the TWT SP, or transmission is possible under a specific constraint (for example, aggregation with an MPDU of traffic corresponding to the TID satisfying the specific condition, aggregation with an MPDU of traffic corresponding to a TID satisfying a specific condition within a specific interval configured within the TWT SP, etc.), or channel access through EDCAF of the AC corresponding to TIDs not indicated from the AP is restricted. Paragraph 0215 discloses station identify low latency data. Paragraph 0181 discloses the low latency TID(s) is mapped to at least one first Access Category (AC));
setting an exclusion bit in an operating mode control subfield of a transmit operating mode indicator frame, the exclusion bit indicating an exclusion of an AC or a TID from the uplink multi-user mode (Paragraphs 0088-0091 disclose a field located after the BW field varies depending on the type and format of the PPDU, an MU PPDU and an SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format, a field for classification between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located before an EHT-SIG field, and additional signaling may be performed for the same. The SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether compression is performed, and a part of field (e.g., RA fields, etc.) may be omitted according to the value of the compressed field).
Kim does not explicitly disclose sending, to the AP, a trigger-based physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising the transmit operating mode indicator frame; contending for channel access using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) function to send the low latency data via an uplink; and transmitting the low latency data to the AP in a single user PPDU in accordance with EDCA-based channel contention
In an analogous art, Sun discloses sending, to the AP, a trigger-based physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising the transmit operating mode indicator frame; contending for channel access using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) function to send the low latency data via an uplink; and transmitting the low latency data to the AP in a single user PPDU in accordance with EDCA-based channel contention
sending, to the AP, a trigger-based physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) comprising the transmit operating mode indicator frame (Paragraphs 0102-0104 disclose STA transmit trigger based PPDU. To transmit the TF 622 to non-STR MLDs 605 and 609 on link 603, AP MLD 607 may verify that the scheduled trigger-based PPDU (TB-PPDU) on link 603 does not overlap any of the receptions for MLD 605 and MLD 609 on links 601 and 602. AP MLD 607 may verify that the duration of the PPDU carrying TF 622 and a time period of short interframe space (SIFS) after the PPDU do not overlap with any of the UL transmissions 620 and 618 of MLD 505 and MLD 509, respectively); contending for channel access using an enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) function to send the low latency data via an uplink (Paragraph 0172); and transmitting the low latency data to the AP in a single user PPDU in accordance with EDCA-based channel contention (Paragraph 0118 discloses During period 812 when MLD 805 (e.g., STA1 of MLD 805) has paused transmission/reception on link 801, MLD 805 (e.g., STA2 of MLD 805) may send low latency UL messages 814 on link 802. Frame 808 may be transmitted by an AP affiliated with AP MLD 807, however, a similar procedure may be applied to a STA affiliated with another STA MLD ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Sun to the system of Kim to provide a STA MLD may send, to the AP MLD, on a second link of the plurality of links and during the indicated period of time, uplink (UL) traffic, wherein the first link and the second link are multi-directional links. The STA MLD may be non-simultaneous transmit and receive (non-STR), and the AP MLD may be capable of STR (Abstract).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses wherein the operating mode control subfield comprises a bit field representing one or more ACs (Paragraphs 0088-0091 disclose a field located after the BW field varies depending on the type and format of the PPDU, an MU PPDU and an SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format, a field for classification between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located before an EHT-SIG field, and additional signaling may be performed for the same. The SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether compression is performed, and a part of field (e.g., RA fields, etc.) may be omitted according to the value of the compressed field. Paragraph 0181 discloses the low latency TID(s) is mapped to at least one first Access Category (AC)).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses wherein the operating mode control subfield comprises a bit field representing one or more TIDs (Paragraphs 0088-0091 disclose a field located after the BW field varies depending on the type and format of the PPDU, an MU PPDU and an SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format, a field for classification between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located before an EHT-SIG field, and additional signaling may be performed for the same. The SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether compression is performed, and a part of field (e.g., RA fields, etc.) may be omitted according to the value of the compressed field. Paragraph 0181 discloses the low latency TID(s) is mapped to one or more TID’s).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses excluding traffic associated with the AC or associated with the TID from using a trigger-based uplink multi-user mode transmission based on the exclusion bit set in the operating mode control subfield (Paragraphs 0088-0091 disclose a field located after the BW field varies depending on the type and format of the PPDU, an MU PPDU and an SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format, a field for classification between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located before an EHT-SIG field, and additional signaling may be performed for the same. The SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether compression is performed, and a part of field (e.g., RA fields, etc.) may be omitted according to the value of the compressed field. Paragraph 0181 discloses the low latency TID(s) is mapped to one or more TID’s).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses transmitting traffic associated with the AC or associated with the TID using a single-user mode transmission scheme based on the exclusion bit set in the operating mode control subfield (Paragraphs 0088-0091 disclose a field located after the BW field varies depending on the type and format of the PPDU, an MU PPDU and an SU PPDU may be signaled in the same PPDU format, a field for classification between the MU PPDU and the SU PPDU may be located before an EHT-SIG field, and additional signaling may be performed for the same. The SU PPDU may further include a compression field indicating whether compression is performed, and a part of field (e.g., RA fields, etc.) may be omitted according to the value of the compressed field. Paragraph 0181 discloses the low latency TID(s) is mapped to one or more TID’s).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses wherein the operating mode control subfield comprises a bit map indicating that trigger-based uplink multi-user transmissions are suspended for at least one AC and allowed for one or more other ACs (Paragraphs 0088-0091)
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses wherein the operating mode control subfield comprises a bit map indicating that trigger-based uplink multi-user transmissions are suspended for at least one TID and allowed for one or more other TIDs. (Paragraphs 0088-0091)
Claims 8 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2024/0251355 A1) in view of Naik et al. (US 2023/0199641 A1)
Regarding claim 8, Kim does not explicitly disclose receiving a block acknowledgement from the AP; and receiving a multi-user EDCA (MU-EDCA) reset frame from the AP.
In an analogous art, Naik discloses receiving a block acknowledgement from the AP; and receiving a multi-user EDCA (MU-EDCA) reset frame from the AP (Paragraphs 0032-0034).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Naik to the system of Kim to provide low latency solutions for restricted target wake time (r-TWT) during multi-link operation (MLO) (Abstract).
Regarding claim 20, Kim discloses
A method performed by an access point (AP), the method comprising: identifying an access category (AC) or traffic identifier (TID) associated with the low latency traffic; determining that the AC or TID is a pre-negotiated preferred AC or TID for the wireless device (Paragraphs 0089-0090, 0166-0169 disclose a non-AP STA may transmit or receive traffic corresponding to the TID transmitted from the AP within the TWT SP. In this case, the specific condition may be a condition (for example, low-latency traffic, etc.) related to a transmission delay of traffic, and transmission of traffic having the specific condition may be restricted. The restriction of transmission may mean that transmission is impossible during the TWT SP, or transmission is possible under a specific constraint (for example, aggregation with an MPDU of traffic corresponding to the TID satisfying the specific condition, aggregation with an MPDU of traffic corresponding to a TID satisfying a specific condition within a specific interval configured within the TWT SP, etc.), or channel access through EDCAF of the AC corresponding to TIDs not indicated from the AP is restricted. Paragraph 0215 discloses station identify low latency data);
Kim does not explicitly disclose receiving, from a wireless device operating in multi-user enhanced distributed channel access (MU-EDCA) operating mode, an unsolicited low latency presence (U-LLP) frame indicating low latency traffic for uplink transmission by a wireless device transmitting, to the wireless device, a solicited trigger frame that includes an acknowledgement of the U-LLP and a resource allocation for transmitting the low latency traffic.
In an analogous art, Naik discloses receiving, from a wireless device operating in multi-user enhanced distributed channel access (MU-EDCA) operating mode, an unsolicited low latency presence (U-LLP) frame indicating low latency traffic for uplink transmission by a wireless device (([0099],[0104],[0155]-[0157],[0163], which recites the AP MLD transmits a control frame on Link2 soliciting a response from the non-AP MLD. In some implementations, the control frame may be a BSRP frame that solicits a buffer status report (BSR) in response thereto. In some other implementations, the control frame may be an MU-RTS frame that solicits a clear-to-send (CTS) in response thereto. Still further, in some implementations, the control frame may be a trigger frame that solicits a TB PPDU in response thereto. performing a timing measurement operation that indicates a delay between the second time and the start of the r-TWT SP, and refraining from responding to the control frame responsive to the timing measurement operation indicating that the delay is less than a threshold duration); transmitting, to the wireless device, a solicited trigger frame that includes an acknowledgement of the U-LLP and a resource allocation for transmitting the low latency traffic (([0099],[0104],[0155]-[0157],[0163], which recites the AP MLD transmits a control frame on Link2 soliciting a response from the non-AP MLD. In some implementations, the control frame may be a BSRP frame that solicits a buffer status report (BSR) in response thereto. In some other implementations, the control frame may be an MU-RTS frame that solicits a clear-to-send (CTS) in response thereto. Still further, in some implementations, the control frame may be a trigger frame that solicits a TB PPDU in response thereto. performing a timing measurement operation that indicates a delay between the second time and the start of the r-TWT SP, and refraining from responding to the control frame responsive to the timing measurement operation indicating that the delay is less than a threshold duration);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Naik to the system of Kim to provide low latency solutions for restricted target wake time (r-TWT) during multi-link operation (MLO) (Abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten (limitations of claim 9) in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 19 is allowable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Handte et al. (US 20230231664 A1) discloses communication device is configured to communicate with a second communication device, the communication device comprising circuitry configured to transmit one or more data frames to the second communication device that require a response by he second communication device, listen to a first response acknowledging receipt of at least one of the one or more data frames from the second communication device, and, if a first response is not received, change transmit opportunity configuration and/or channel access for non-data frames and/or data frames.
Jang et al. (US-20220312522-A1) discloses In a wireless local area network (LAN) system, a station (STA) may transmit a first physical protocol data unit (PPDU) including information indicating that a first traffic identifier (TID) is mapped to a first link and a second TID is mapped to a second link. The STA may transmit traffic pertaining to the first TID through only the first link, and traffic pertaining to the second TID through only the second link
Chu et al. (US-20200280387-A1) discloses generating the control field to also include a TID subfield set to indicate a TID value corresponding to the data queued for transmission (Paragraph 0077).
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/ROMANI OHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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