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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 12/30/2024 has been placed in record and considered by the examiner.
NOTICE for all US Patent Applications filed on or after March 16, 2013
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of AIA 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 and 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 102 (a)(1) as anticipated by Kim et al. (WP 2021034154 A1, machine translated, hereinafter ‘KIM’).
Regarding claim 1, KIM teaches a method in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system (
[0052]
the following example of the present specification may be applied to a wireless local area network (WLAN) system.
Fig. 1, [0054]
FIG. 1 shows an example of a transmitting device and/or receiving device of the present specification.
[0055]
An example of FIG. 1 can perform various technical features described below. Figure 1 relates to at least one STA (station).
For example, the STA (110, 120)……. mobile terminal, wireless device …
The STA (110, 120) in this specification may be referred to by various names such as network, …… AP (Access Point) …..
[0058]
In this specification, the STA (110, 120) may include a medium access control (MAC) that complies with the provisions of the IEEE 802.11 standard and a physical layer interface for the wireless medium.
Fig. 34, [0349]
Referring to FIG. 34, the transmitting STA can transmit the same PSDU (or PPDU) to the receiving STA.), the method comprising:
receiving, by a receiving station (STA) ([0340] the receiving STA), control information from a transmitting STA (
Fig. 4, [0095]
In addition, FIG. 4 also includes an example of a HE PPDU of the IEEE 802.11ax standard.
The HE PPDU according to FIG. 4 is an example of a PPDU for multiple users, where HE-SIG-Bis included only in the case of multiple users, and the corresponding HE-SIG-B may be omitted in a PPDU for a single user.
[0110]
For example, when a DL MU PPDU is configured, the transmitting STA (e.g., AP) may allocate a first RU (e.g., 26/52/106/242-RU, etc.) to the first STA and a second RU (e.g., 26/52/106/242-RU, etc.) to the second STA.
That is, a transmitting STA (e.g., AP) can transmit HE-STF, HE-LTF, and Data fields for the first STA through the first RU within a single MU PPDU, and can transmit HE-STF, HE-LTF, and Data fields for the second STA through the second RU.
[0111]
Information regarding the deployment of RU can be signaled via HE-SIG-B.
[0112]
Figure 8 shows the structure of the HE-SIG-B field.
[0113]
As described, the HE-SIG-B field (810) includes a common field (820) and a user-specific field (830).
The common field (820) may contain information that applies commonly to all users receiving SIG-B (i.e., user STA).
The user-individual field (830) can be called the user-individual control field.
The user-individual field (830) may be applied to only some of the multiple users when SIG-B is delivered to multiple users.
[0115]
The common field (820) may contain N*8 bits of RU allocation information.
For example, RU allocation information may include information regarding the location of the RU.
For example, when a 20 MHz channel is used as in FIG. 5, the RU allocation information may include information regarding which RU (26-RU/52-RU/106-RU) is allocated to which frequency band.
Fig. 18, [0183]
FIG. 18 shows an example of a PPDU used in the present specification.
[0184]
The PPDU of FIG. 18 may be referred to by various names such as EHT PPDU…
[0185]
The PPDU in Fig. 18 may represent some or all of the PPDU types used in the EHT system.
For example, the example in Fig. 18 can be used for both SU (single-user) mode and MU (multi-user) mode, or for SU mode only, or for MU mode only.
[0186]
In FIG. 18, L-STF to EHT-LTF can be called a preamble or physical preamble and can be generated/transmitted/received/acquired/decoded at the physical layer.
[0188]
The PPDU of Fig. 18, L-LTF and L-STF, can be the same as conventional fields.
[0192]
After the RL-SIG in Fig. 18, a U-SIG (Universal SIG) can be inserted.
U-SIG can be referred to by various names such as the first SIG field, first SIG, first type SIG, control signal, control signal field, and first (type) control signal.
[0200]
For example, if the EHT PPDU is classified into various types (e.g., EHT PPDU supporting SU, EHT PPDU supporting MU,….), information regarding the type of the EHT PPDU may be included in the version-dependent bits of the U-SIG.
[0201]
For example, U-SIG may include: 1) a bandwidth field containing information regarding bandwidth; 2) a field containing information regarding the MCS technique applied to EHT-SIG; ……
[0207]
U-SIG can be configured in 20 MHz units.
For example, if an 80 MHz PPDU is configured, the U-SIG can be duplicated. That is, four identical USIGs can be included within an 80 MHz PPDU. 80 PPDUs exceeding MHz bandwidth may contain different U-SIGs.
[0208]
The EHT-SIG of FIG. 18 may include the technical features of HE-SIG-B as shown in the example of FIG. 8 to 9.
[0261]
In other words, the receiving STA can determine the receiving PPDU as an EHT PPDU based on 1) the first symbol after the L-LTF signal which is BSPK, 2) an RL-SIG that is consecutive to the L-SIG field and is identical to the L-SIG, 3) an L-SIG containing a Length field where the result of applying 'modulo 3' is set to 'O', and 4) a 3-bit PHY version identifier of the above-described U-SIG (e.g., a PHY version identifier having a first value).
[0350]
The PPDU transmitted by the transmitting STA may be transmitted through the first RU and the second RU, and the PPDU may include the first PSDU and the second PSDU.
The PPDU may include a preamble (e.g., legacy preamble, U-SIG (signal), EHT-SIG (signal) field), a training field (e.g., STF (short training field), LTF (long training field)), a first PSDU, and a second PSDU. The training field can be a signal for both the first PSDU and the second PSDU. The preamble and training field are signals generated in the PHY layer, and the PSDU can be a signal generated in the MAC layer.
(Construed transmitting STA indicates 2 or more RU allocation in one DL-MIMO PPDU for one or more STAs mapping 2 or more PSDUs to respective 2 or more RUs for at least for reception by one single receiving STA));
and decoding, by the receiving STA, a plurality of Physical Service Data Units (PSDUs) included in a Physical Protocol Data Unit (PPDU) based on the control information (
See [0095, 0110-0115, 0183-0186, 0207-0208, 0261] disclosing RU allocation in a MU-MIMO and EHT PPDU for DL MU-MIMO received can be identified and decoded based on preamble control fields.
[0302]
If STA! or STA2 can be assigned one or more RUs, the AP can assign RU1 and RU4 to STA! and transmit and receive data through RU1 and RU4.
AP can assign RU2 and RU3 to STA2 and can transmit and receive data through RU2 and RU3.
[0342]
When multiple RUs are assigned to a receiving STA, different PSDUs (or PPDUs) can be transmitted through each RU.
[0350]
For example, the transmitting STA can transmit the first PSDU ( or data field) to the receiving STA through the first RU, and can transmit the second PSDU, which is a duplicate of the first PSDU, through the second RU.
The PPDU transmitted by the transmitting STA may be transmitted through the first RU and the second RU, and the PPDU may include the first PSDU and the second PSDU.
(Construed transmitting STA indicates 2 or more RU allocation in one DL MU-MIMO PPDU for one or more STAs mapping 2 or more PSDUs to respective 2 or more RUs for at least for reception and decoding according to preamble control fields by one single receiving STA)),
wherein the plurality of PSDUs are transmitted simultaneously on a single link (
See [0350] The PPDU transmitted by the transmitting STA may be transmitted through the first RU and the second RU, and the PPDU may include the first PSDU and the second PSDU.
([0350] disclosing a single PPDU transmission containing multiple PSDUs, indicating PSDUs are transmitted simultaneously on a single link )),
wherein the control information includes information on a plurality of Resource Units (RUs) or Multi-Resource Units (MRUs) to which the plurality of PSDUs are respectively allocated within a bandwidth of the PPDU (
See [0095, 0110-0115, 0183-0186, 0207-0208, 0261, 0342] disclosing plurality of RUs or MRUs allocation for a single receiving STA in ETH PPDU for DL MU-MIMO received can be identified and decoded based on preamble control fields.), and
wherein the plurality of RUs or MRUs are allocated only within a channel within an operating bandwidth of the receiving STA (
Fig. 3, [0084]
Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating a general link setup process.
[0085]
In the illustrated 5310 step, the STA can perform a network discovery operation. …
[0091]
A successfully authenticated STA can perform the connection process based on step 5330.
The association process includes the STA sending an association request frame to the AP, and the AP sending an association response frame to the STA in response. For example, a connection request frame may include information related to various capabilities, such as beacon listen interval, service set identifier (SSID), supported rates, supported channels, RSN, mobility domain, supported operating classes, Traffic Indication Map Broadcast request, and interworking service capabilities. For example, a connection response frame may include information related to various capabilities, status code, AID (Association ID), support rate ….
See also See Fig. 8, [0111-0115, 0201, 0208], disclosing ETH-SIG similar to HE-SIG-B, includes user/STA information and RU allocation corresponding to operating bandwidth of the receiving ETH STA.
See also Figs. 15-17 [0169-0181] disclosing channels supported under different bands used on WLAN system.
(Construed plurality of RUs or MRUs are allocated only within a channel within an operating bandwidth of the receiving STA according to capability information exchanged at S330 during link setup process)).
Regarding claim 8, KIM teaches a receiving station (STA) (
Fig. 1, 2nd STA 120,
[0063]
For example, the second STA (120) can perform the intended operation of the Non-AP STA.) in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system (
[0052]
the following example of the present specification may be applied to a wireless local area network (WLAN) system.
Fig. 1, [0054]
FIG. 1 shows an example of a transmitting device and/or receiving device of the present specification.
[0055]
An example of FIG. 1 can perform various technical features described below.
Figure 1 relates to at least one STA (station).
For example, the STA (110, 120)……. mobile terminal, wireless device …
), the receiving STA comprising:
a memory;
a transceiver; and
a processor being operatively connected to the memory and the transceiver,
wherein the processor is configured to (
Fig. 1, 2nd STA 120,
[0063]
For example, the second STA (120) can perform the intended operation of the Non-AP STA.
For example, the non-AP transceiver (123) performs the operation of transmitting and receiving signals.
Specifically, it can transmit and receive IEEE 802.11 packets (e.g., IEEE 802.lla/b/g/n/ac/ax/be, etc.).
[0066]
if the second STA (120) is non-AP, the operation of the device marked as non-AP is controlled by the processor (121) of the second STA (120), and the related signal can be transmitted or received through a transceiver (123) controlled by the processor (121) of the second STA (120).
In addition, control information related to the operation of the non-AP or the transmission/reception signals of the AP can be stored in the memory (122) of the second STA (120).).
Further claim 8 is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, the claim interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, KIM teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RUs or MRUs are allocated only to the receiving STA, the receiving STA is one STA,
wherein Multi User-Multi Input Multi Output (MU-MIMO) is not applied to the multiple RUs or MRUs (
[0124]
In other words, up to 9 User STAs can be assigned to a specific channel through non-MU-MIMO techniques.
[0129]
The User field illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 can be configured based on two formats.
That is, the User field related to the MU-MIMO technique is configured in the first format, and the User field related to the non-MU-MIMO technique can be configured in the second format.
See [0140-0141] describing User field in the second format (a non-MU-MIMO technique format)),
wherein each of the plurality of RUs or MRUs is adjacent to each other (
[0317]
For example, when two RUs (e.g., RU 1, RU 2) are assigned to a receiving STA).
Regarding claim 3, KIM teaches the method of claim 1, wherein based on the PPDU being a Multi-User (MU) PPDU, the control information includes a signal field,
wherein the signal field includes a common field and a user field for the receiving STA,
wherein the user field exists as many as a number of the plurality of RUs or MRUs,
wherein based on the number of the plurality of RUs or MRUs being three, the user field includes first to third user fields,
wherein the first to third user fields are sequentially positioned after the common field,
wherein the signal field is an Extreme High Throughput-Signal (EHT-SIG) field or a Next version-SIG field (
See Fig. 8, [0112-0115] describing HE-SIG-B field.
Fig. 18, [0183]
FIG. 18 shows an example of a PPDU used in the present specification.
[0184]
The PPDU of FIG. 18 may be referred to by various names such as EHT PPDU…
[0185]
The PPDU in Fig. 18 may represent some or all of the PPDU types used in the EHT system.
For example, the example in Fig. 18 can be used for both SU (single-user) mode and MU (multi-user) mode, or for SU mode only, or for MU mode only.
[0186]
In FIG. 18, L-STF to EHT-LTF can be called a preamble or physical preamble and can be generated/transmitted/received/acquired/decoded at the physical layer.
[0188]
The PPDU of Fig. 18, L-LTF and L-STF, can be the same as conventional fields.
[0192]
After the RL-SIG in Fig. 18, a U-SIG (Universal SIG) can be inserted.
U-SIG can be referred to by various names such as the first SIG field, first SIG, first type SIG, control signal, control signal field, and first (type) control signal.
[0200]
For example, if the EHT PPDU is classified into various types (e.g., EHT PPDU supporting SU, EHT PPDU supporting MU,….), information regarding the type of the EHT PPDU may be included in the version-dependent bits of the U-SIG.
[0201]
For example, U-SIG may include: 1) a bandwidth field containing information regarding bandwidth; 2) a field containing information regarding the MCS technique applied to EHT-SIG; ……
[0207]
U-SIG can be configured in 20 MHz units.
For example, if an 80 MHz PPDU is configured, the U-SIG can be duplicated. That is, four identical USIGs can be included within an 80 MHz PPDU. 80 PPDUs exceeding MHz bandwidth may contain different U-SIGs.
[0208]
The EHT-SIG of FIG. 18 may include the technical features of HE-SIG-B as shown in the example of FIG. 8 to 9.
[0261]
In other words, the receiving STA can determine the receiving PPDU as an EHT PPDU based on 1) the first symbol after the L-LTF signal which is BSPK, 2) an RL-SIG that is consecutive to the L-SIG field and is identical to the L-SIG, 3) an L-SIG containing a Length field where the result of applying 'modulo 3' is set to 'O', and 4) a 3-bit PHY version identifier of the above-described U-SIG (e.g., a PHY version identifier having a first value).
Regarding claim 4, KIM teaches the method of claim 3, wherein in the plurality of RUs or MRUs, a Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS), a number of streams, coding, and beamforming are all applied equally (
[0324]
Referring to Fig. 32, for example, an LDPC encoder can be used.
[0325]
For example, the number of streams included in each RU can be the same.).
For example, the same MCS …. may be used for each RU.
See also [0141] disclosing beamforming indication)
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 2.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7 and 13-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and in intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 5, KIM or any prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to teach the method of claim 4, wherein only the first user field includes information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding and the beamforming,
wherein in the second and third user fields, the information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding and the beamforming is reserved,
wherein the third user field includes only information indicating that it is the last user field or information on a number of the user fields.
Regarding claim 6, KIM or any prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to teach the method of claim 4, wherein only the first user field includes information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding and the beamforming,
wherein in the second and third user fields, the information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding and the beamforming is reserved,
wherein a reserved bit of the first user field includes information indicating that the first user field is the last user field,
wherein the reserved bit is set to B15.
Regarding claim 7, KIM or any prior art of record either alone or in combination fails to teach the method of claim 1, wherein based on the PPDU being a Trigger Based (TB) PPDU, the control information is included in a trigger frame,
wherein the trigger frame includes a common information field and a user information field for the receiving STA,
wherein the user information field exists as many as a number of the plurality of RUs or MRUs,
wherein based on the number of the plurality of RUs or MRUs being 3, the user information field includes first to third user information fields,
wherein in the plurality of RUs or MRUs, a MCS, a number of streams, coding, and beamforming are all applied equally,
wherein only the first user information field includes information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding, and the beamforming,
wherein in the second and third user information fields, the information on the MCS, the number of streams, the coding, and the beamforming are reserved,
wherein the third user information field includes only information indicating that it is the last user information field or information on a number of the user information fields.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Gan et al. (US 20240214163 A1), describing Physical Layer Protocol Data Unit Transmission Method And Apparatus
Azizi et al. (US 20220123882 A1), describing APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DURING A SHORT-INTER-FRAME-SPACE (SIFS)
Huang et al. (US 20230198696 A1), describing COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND COMMUNICATION METHOD FOR TRANSMISSION OVER COMBINATIONS OF MULTIPLE RESOURCE UNITS
Doan et al. (US 20210211229 A1), describing PROBABILISTIC AMPLITUDE SHAPING
Chun et al. (US 20180317128 A1), describing METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING DATA IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND DEVICE THEREFOR
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHAH M RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8951. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-5:30PM PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, UN C CHO can be reached at 571-272-7919. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHAH M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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