DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is a response to an Application No. 18/830,423 filed on 09/10/2024 in which claims 1-20 are pending for examination.
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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Drawings
The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on 09/10/2024 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Examiner has considered the reference(s) listed on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 09/18/2024.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by AJAMI et al. (US 2025/0063596 A1) hereinafter “Ajami”.
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Ajami discloses Claim 1 of a method performed by a first wireless device to transmit low latency data using a slotted random access technique (see FIG. 17; see ¶ [0180], a wireless communication device), and Claim 12 of a first wireless device configured to transmit low latency data using a slotted random access technique, the first wireless device comprising: a radio frequency transceiver; a memory device storing a set of instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory device (see FIG. 17; see ¶ [0180-81], a wireless communication device may include processing circuitry, memory and modem), comprising:
detecting an end of a fragmented physical layer protocol data unit (PPDU) transmission made by a second wireless device (see FIG. 8-16; see ¶ [0164], the AP may transmit a downlink PPDU 1506. A SIFS duration after the downlink PPDU 1506);
randomly selecting a slot from a plurality of slots forming a slot window that is to follow a short interframe space (SIFS) interval after the end of the fragmented PPDU transmission (see FIG. 8-16 show a plurality of slots Ts; see ¶ [0164], a plurality of slots Ts after SIFS will be used/selected for UL PPDU); and
attempting to transmit low latency data during the randomly selected slot (see FIG. 8-16; see ¶ [0164], transmit an uplink PPDU 1508 that carries low latency traffic).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Ajami discloses wherein a combined duration of the SIFS interval and the slot window is shorter than a predefined interframe space (xIFS) interval that is used by the second wireless device between fragmented PPDU transmissions (see FIG. 16 shows SIFS and slots window is shorter than a time duration D’ (i.e., xIFS interval); see ¶ [0149] [0164]).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Ajami discloses responsive to determining that the attempt to transmit the low latency data was unsuccessful, attempting to transmit the low latency data during a next slot window that follows a SIFS interval after an end of a next fragmented PPDU transmission made by the second wireless device (see FIG. 8 shows multiple transmission UL LL Data in different interval/slot; see ¶ [0093-94], retransmission based on feedback message).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Ajami discloses wherein the selected slot is randomly selected based on randomly selecting a slot index from a plurality of slot indices, wherein each of the plurality of slots is assigned a different one of the plurality of slot indices (see FIG. 12-15; see ¶ [0088] [0173], indicating a number of slots).
Regarding claim 5, Ajami discloses obtaining information regarding a number of slots included in the slot window from a frame transmitted by the second wireless device during a link reservation process (see ¶ [0081] [0156], the values for the slot time and IFS may be provided by a suitable standard specification and the scheduling information may include an indication of a time segment of the TXOP such as an indication of one or more slots or sets of symbol periods associated with each portion of the TXOP such as for multi-user TDMA).
Regarding claim 6, Ajami discloses wherein a number of slots included in the slot window depends on a priority of the low latency data (see FIG. 12-15; see ¶ [0081], the DCF is implemented through the use of time intervals (including the slot time (or “slot interval”) and the inter-frame space (IFS). IFS provides priority access for control frames used for proper network operation. Transmissions may begin at slot boundaries and the values for the slot time and IFS may be provided by a suitable standard specification).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Ajami discloses wherein the fragmented PPDU transmission is part of a fragmented multiple PPDU (multi-PPDU) simultaneous transmission made by the second wireless device in a plurality of subchannels, wherein the method further comprises: randomly selecting a subchannel from the plurality of subchannels, wherein the attempt to transmit the low latency data is made in the randomly selected subchannel (see ¶ [0089] [0164], the scheduling information may include an indication of a bandwidth portion of the wireless channel such as an indication of one or more subchannels or RUs associated with each portion of the TXOP such as for multi-user OFDMA, and contend for channel access).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Ajami discloses Claim 8 of a method performed by a wireless device to transmit low latency data using a frequency resource random access technique (see FIG. 17; see ¶ [0180], a wireless communication device), and Claim 17 of a first wireless device configured to transmit low latency data using a frequency resource random access technique, the first wireless device comprising: a radio frequency transceiver; a memory device storing a set of instructions; and a processor coupled to the memory device (see FIG. 17; see ¶ [0180-81], a wireless communication device may include processing circuitry, memory and modem), the method comprising:
detecting an end of a fragmented multiple physical layer protocol data unit (multi-PPDU) simultaneous transmission made by a second wireless device in a plurality of subchannels (see FIG. 8-16; see ¶ [0164], the AP may transmit a downlink PPDU 1506. A SIFS duration after the downlink PPDU 1506);
randomly selecting a subchannel from the plurality of subchannels (see ¶ [0089] [0164], the scheduling information may include an indication of a bandwidth portion of the wireless channel such as an indication of one or more subchannels or RUs associated with each portion of the TXOP such as for multi-user OFDMA, and contend for channel access); and
attempting to transmit low latency data in the randomly selected subchannel following a short interframe space (SIFS) interval after the end of the fragmented multi-PPDU simultaneous transmission (see FIG. 8-16; see ¶ [0164], transmit an uplink PPDU 1508 that carries low latency traffic).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Ajami discloses wherein the second wireless device uses a predefined interframe space (xIFS) interval between fragmented multi-PPDU simultaneous transmissions, wherein preemption is allowed during the xIFS interval and a duration of the xIFS interval is longer than a duration of the SIFS interval (see FIG. 16 shows SIFS and slots window is shorter than a time duration D’ (i.e., xIFS interval); see ¶ [0149] [0164]).
Regarding claims 10 and 19, Ajami discloses further comprising: responsive to determining that the attempt to transmit the low latency data was unsuccessful, attempting to transmit the low latency data in a randomly selected subchannel following a SIFS interval after an end of a next fragmented multi-PPDU simultaneous transmission made by the second wireless device (see FIG. 8 shows multiple transmission UL LL Data in different interval; see ¶ [0093-94] [0164], retransmission based on feedback message).
Regarding claims 11 and 20, Ajami discloses further comprising: receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) frame from the second wireless device in the randomly selected subchannel that acknowledges the low latency data (see FIG. 8; see ¶ [0124-25], receiving ACK to reception of the uplink PPDU).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record (see attached PTO-892) and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yang et al. (US 2026/0164461 A1) teaches the first access point notifies a first station by sending first indication information that the first station can perform reporting if there is currently to-be-transmitted low-latency data, when the first station has an urgent low-latency data, the first access point may determine, based on feedback of the first station, whether to enable the first station to perform preemption transmission in a subsequent procedure (see Abstract).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of the action. An extension of time may be obtained under 37 CFR 1.136(a). However, in no event, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7241. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571) 272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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