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
a. Claims 1-20 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, are being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 08/29/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/29/2024 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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 7-12, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akihiro Foreign Patent JP2006165875 English translation (hereinafter “Akihiro”), and in view of Hidenori et al. Foreign Patent JP2017005289 English translation (hereinafter “Akihiro”).
Regarding claim 1
Akihiro discloses a transmission system (“optical communication network system” [0002]; Fig. 13) comprising:
a transmitting apparatus (i.e. “subscriber-side MC95” [0002]; Fig. 13) configured to receive client data (i.e. “user frame”) transmitted from a first client device (i.e. “subscriber-side terminal 93” [0002]; Fig. 13) and transmit the received client data; and
a receiving apparatus (i.e. “building-side MC97” [0002]; Fig. 13) configured to receive the client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus and transmit the received client data (“The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified by the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the status 54 of the buffer 44 for storing the user frame (Step 101). When a maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 is notified, check whether the user frame has been sent at that time (Step 102).” [0311]) to a second client device (i.e. “station building device 99” [0002]; Fig. 13), wherein the transmitting apparatus includes:
a first buffer (“user frame storage buffer 44” [0021]; Fig. 11) configured to store the client data transmitted from the first client device (“Additionally, user frames are incorporated into the user frame storage buffer 44 for conflict control in case of transmission conflicts with maintenance frames. The capacity of the buffer 44 for storing user frames can be arbitrarily determined from the waiting time for conflict-control specified by the system in case of a dispute between the transmission of maintenance frames and the transmission of user frames.” [0025]); and
a first control circuit (frame transmission control unit 43” [0031]; Fig. 11) configured to control a timing of outputting the client data from the first buffer to transmit the client data to the receiving apparatus (“The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified by the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the status 54 of the buffer 44 for storing user frames, to determine whether the maintenance frame or the user frame should be sent first.” [0261]),
the receiving apparatus (i.e. “building-side MC97” [0002]; Fig. 13) includes:
a second buffer (“user frame storage buffer 62” [0022]; Fig. 12) configured to store the client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus (“The maintenance frame detection unit 61 detects only the maintenance frame 63 from the received maintenance frame and user frame, and passes it to the buffer 62 for storing the maintenance frame. The buffer 62 for storing the maintenance frame stores the maintenance frame 63 detected by the maintenance frame detection unit 61.” [0029]); and
a second control circuit (“The frame transmission selection unit 45” [0028]; Fig. 11) configured to control a timing of outputting the client data from the second buffer to transmit the client data (i.e. “user frame 1” in Fig. 6) to the second client device (“when sending a user frame, the buffer read instruction 56 is notified to the buffer 44 for storing the user frame, and the frame transmission selection (in this case, the user frame transmission selection) 58 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit 45.” [0026] and furthermore “The frame transmission selection unit 45 receives frame transmission selection 58 from the frame transmission control unit 43. As a result, when sending maintenance frames, the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is sent. When sending user frames, the user frame 59 stored in the buffer 44 for storing user frames is sent.” [0028]),
the transmitting apparatus (i.e. “subscriber-side MC95” [0002]; Fig. 13) is configured to, after transmitting first client data (i.e. “user frame 1” in Fig. 6) output from the first buffer (“user frame storage buffer 44” [0021]; Fig. 11) to the receiving apparatus (i.e. “building-side MC97” [0002]; Fig. 13), transmit a management frame (i.e. “maintenance frame” []; Fig. 7), the management frame being used for management of the transmission system (“The frame transmission control unit 43 constantly monitors the maintenance frame transmission event occurrence 52 notified by the maintenance frame transmission instruction unit 41 and the status 54 of the buffer 44 for storing user frames, to determine whether the maintenance frame or the user frame should be sent first. When sending a maintenance frame, the maintenance frame generation instruction 55 is notified to the maintenance frame generation unit 42, and the frame transmission selection (in this case, the maintenance frame transmission selection) 58 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit 45. On the other hand, when sending a user frame, the buffer read instruction 56 is notified to the buffer 44 for storing the user frame, and the frame transmission selection (in this case, the user frame transmission selection) 58 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit 45.” [0026]),
the first control circuit is configured to wait for second client data (i.e. “user frame 2” in Fig. 6) to be output from the first buffer until the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame (see Fig. 6; “Notification of the maintenance frame generation instruction 55 to the maintenance frame generation unit 42 (Step 104). Also, the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified of the frame transmission selection (in this case, the maintenance frame transmission selection) 58, and the maintenance frame 57 generated by the maintenance frame generation unit 42 is sent (Step 104).” [0032]; Fig. 7), and cause the first buffer to output the second client data (i.e. “user frame 2” in Fig. 6) after the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame (“On the other hand, if a maintenance frame has been sent, after the maintenance frame transmission is completed (Step 112), a time schedule management is performed so that the minimum specified value of IFG 12 bytes is added before the user frame to be sent (Step 113), and then the frame transmission selection unit 45 is notified to the frame transmission selection unit (in this case, the user frame transmission selection selection) 58, Send the user frame 59 stored in the buffer 44 for storing user frames (Step 114).” [0034]; Fig. 7).
Akihiro does not specifically teach the waiting time information is information based on a waiting time, the waiting time being a time of waiting for the second client data to be output from the first buffer,
the second control circuit is configured to determine an output start timing at which output of the second client data from the second buffer starts, based on the waiting time information, and cause the second buffer to start the output of the second client data at the determined output start timing, and
the output start timing is a timing at which a time shorter than a data reception interval elapses from completion of output of the first client data from the second buffer, the data reception interval being a time from completion of reception of the first client data by the receiving apparatus to start of reception of the second client data by the receiving apparatus.
In an analogous art, Hidenori discloses the waiting time information is information based on a waiting time, the waiting time being a time of waiting for the second client data to be output (“The packet interval restoration unit 305 controls the timing of reading the packet signal accumulated in the buffer 304 based on the packet interval restoration information received from the packetizing processing unit 303” [0050]) from the first buffer (i.e. “buffer 304” [0045]; Fig. 3),
the second control circuit (i.e. “output node 923” [0022]) is configured to determine an output start timing at which output of the second client data (i.e. “packet signal output” [0049]) from the second buffer starts (“In FIG. 1, an input node 101 adds information enabling an output node 102 to restore a packet interval to a header of a packet signal input from a relay node 906 of a layer 1, and transfers the packet signal to a packet transfer network in a layer 2. Then, the packet signal transferred by the input node 101 is received by the output node 102 via the relay node 922 or the relay node 924 of the layer 2.” [0033]), based on the waiting time information (“the delay fluctuation absorbing method according to the present invention can absorb the delay fluctuation of the packet signal in the packet transfer network by adding the information for restoring the packet interval to the header of the packet signal and transferring the packet signal.” [0083]), and cause the second buffer to start the output of the second client data at the determined output start timing (“As described above, the output node 102 temporarily stores the packet signal received from the packet transfer network in the buffer 304, and controls the timing of reading the packet signal from the buffer 304 based on the packet interval restoration information stored in the header of the packet signal. Thus, the output node 102 can output the packet signal at the same interval as the interval of the packet signal input to the input node 101, and can absorb the delay fluctuation in the layer 2.” [0053]; Fig. 6), and
the output start timing is a timing at which a time shorter than a data reception interval elapses from completion of output of the first client data (i.e. “packet signal input” [0033]) from the second buffer (“In this manner, the egress node 102a temporarily stores the packet signal received from the packet transfer network in the buffer 304, and reads out the packet signal from the buffer 304 at the time obtained by adding the fixed delay time α to the ingress time stored in the header of the packet signal. As a result, the outputting node 102a can output the packet signal at the same interval as the interval of the packet signal inputted to the inputting node 101a, and can absorb the delay fluctuation in the layer 2.” [0067]; Fig. 6), the data reception interval being a time from completion of reception of the first client data (i.e. “packet signal input” [0033]) by the receiving apparatus to start of reception of the second client data (“The buffer 304 is a memory that temporarily stores the packet signal output from the packetizing processing unit 303.” [0049]) by the receiving apparatus (“In the delay fluctuation absorbing method shown in FIG. 10, in the depacketizing node 904, a received packet is stored in a buffer, and is read from the buffer with a delay of a predetermined time (delay D1 for absorbing delay fluctuation) with respect to a reference packet (packet (1) in the example of FIG. 10). For example, the depacketizing node 904 reads the packet (1) from the buffer with a delay of the delay fluctuation absorbing delay from the reception timing of the packet signal“ [0007]).
In other words, Hidenori discloses a buffer 304 to which an input node sends packet interval restoration information (i.e. packet interval time) together with a input packet, and in which the output node stores the input packet sent from the input node, and a packet interval restoration unit 305 (i.e. read control unit 322) that controls timing for outputting the packet from the buffer in order to send the packet to a relay node. This causes the buffer 304 to start outputting the packets at the output start timing when a time shorter than a data reception interval, which is the time that starts at the completion of reception of a input packet and ends at the start of reception of output packet by the output node.
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames, to include Hidenori’s delay fluctuation absorbing method, in order to absorb the delay fluctuation generated in the packet transfer network when the signal is depacketized (Hidenori [0002]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Hidenori’s delay fluctuation absorbing method into Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 2
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Hidenori further discloses wherein the output start timing is a timing at which a time obtained by subtracting the waiting time from the data reception interval elapses from completion of output of the first client data from the second buffer (“a reception-side node adjusts an interval of the packet signal based on the information (could be subtracting the waiting time) stored in the header of the packet signal received from the packet transfer network” [0025]).
Regarding claim 3
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Hidenori further discloses wherein the first control circuit is configured to calculate, as the waiting time, a sum of a time from start of input of the second client data to the first buffer (“a reception-side node adjusts an interval of the packet signal based on the information stored in the header of the packet signal received from the packet transfer network” [0025]) to completion of transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information and a preset time interval between frames and the waiting time information (“The read control unit 313 obtains a time (referred to as a read time) obtained by adding a preset fixed delay time α to the input time stored in the header of the packet signal output by the time information reading unit 311. Then, when the time output by the clock unit 312 reaches the read time, the read control unit 313 reads the packet signal having the header in which the input time is stored from the buffer 304, and outputs the packet signal to the relay node 907 via the PHY processing unit 306 and the E / O conversion unit 307. In this manner, the egress node 102a temporarily stores the packet signal received from the packet transfer network in the buffer 304, and reads out the packet signal from the buffer 304 at the time obtained by adding the fixed delay time α to the ingress time stored in the header of the packet signal. As a result, the outputting node 102a can output the packet signal at the same interval as the interval of the packet signal inputted to the inputting node 101a, and can absorb the delay fluctuation in the layer 2.” [0066-0067]).
Regarding claim 7
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Akihiro further discloses wherein the client data is a frame (“user frames and maintenance frames” [0007]).
Regarding claim 8
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Akihiro further discloses wherein the client data is a frame group including a plurality of frames (“user frames (which specify at least 12 bytes in IEEE802.3)” [0005]).
Regarding claim 9
Akihiro discloses a transmitting apparatus (i.e. “subscriber-side MC95” [0002]; Fig. 13) for receiving client data transmitted from a client device and transmitting the received client data to a receiving apparatus, the transmitting apparatus comprising:
a buffer (“user frame storage buffer 44” [0021]; Fig. 11) configured to store the client data transmitted from the client device; and
a control circuit (frame transmission control unit 43” [0031]; Fig. 11) configured to control a timing of outputting the client data from the buffer to transmit the client data to the receiving apparatus, wherein
the transmitting apparatus is configured to, after transmitting first client data output from the buffer to the receiving apparatus, transmit a management frame and waiting time information, the management frame being used for management of a transmission system including the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus,
the control circuit is configured to wait for second client data to be output from the buffer until the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information, and cause the buffer to output the second client data after the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information, and
the waiting time information is information based on a waiting time, the waiting time being a time of waiting for the second client data to be output from the buffer.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 9 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 9 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 10
Akihiro discloses a receiving apparatus (i.e. “building-side MC97” [0002]; Fig. 13) for receiving client data transmitted from a transmitting apparatus and transmitting the received client data to a client device, the receiving apparatus comprising:
a second buffer (“user frame storage buffer 62” [0022]; Fig. 12) configured to store the client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus; and
a control circuit (“The frame transmission selection unit 45” [0028]; Fig. 11) configured to control a timing of outputting the client data from the second buffer to transmit the client data to the client device, wherein
the receiving apparatus is configured to, after receiving first client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus, receive a management frame and waiting time information transmitted from the transmitting apparatus, the management frame being used for management of a transmission system including the transmitting apparatus and the receiving apparatus, and further receive second client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus after receiving the management frame and the waiting time information,
the waiting time information is information based on a waiting time, the waiting time being a time of waiting for the second client data to be output from a first buffer included in the transmitting apparatus to transmit the management frame and the waiting time information from the transmitting apparatus,
the control circuit is configured to determine an output start timing at which output of the second client data from the second buffer starts, based on the waiting time information, and cause the second buffer to start the output of the second client data at the determined output start timing, and
the output start timing is a timing at which a time shorter than a data reception interval elapses from completion of output of the first client data from the second buffer, the data reception interval being a time from completion of reception of the first client data by the receiving apparatus to start of reception of the second client data by the receiving apparatus.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 10 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 10 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 11
A data transmission method in a transmission system including a transmitting apparatus and a receiving apparatus, the data transmission method comprising:
by the transmitting apparatus, inputting first client data received from a first client device to a first buffer, and after transmitting the first client data output from the first buffer to the receiving apparatus, transmitting a management frame and waiting time information, the management frame being used for management of the transmission system;
by the transmitting apparatus, waiting for second client data to be output from the first buffer until the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information, causing the first buffer to output the second client data after the transmitting apparatus completes transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information, and transmitting the second client data output from the first buffer to the receiving apparatus;
by the receiving apparatus, receiving the management frame, the waiting time information, and the second client data transmitted from the transmitting apparatus, and inputting the received second client data to a second buffer; and
by the receiving apparatus, determining an output start timing at which output of the second client data from the second buffer starts, based on the waiting time information, causing the second buffer to start an output of the second client data at the determined output start timing, and transmitting the second client data output from the second buffer to a second client device, wherein
the waiting time information is information based on a waiting time, the waiting time being a time of waiting for the second client data to be output from the first buffer, and
the output start timing is a timing at which a time shorter than a data reception interval elapses from completion of output of the first client data from the second buffer, the data reception interval being a time from completion of reception of the first client data by the receiving apparatus to start of reception of the second client data by the receiving apparatus.
The scope and subject matter of method claim 11 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in method claim 1. Therefore method claim 11 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 12
The transmission system according to claim 2, wherein
the first control circuit is configured to calculate, as the waiting time, a sum of a time from start of input of the second client data to the first buffer to completion of transmission of the management frame and the waiting time information and a preset time interval between frames and the waiting time information.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to apparatus claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17
The transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the client data is a frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 17 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 17 corresponds to apparatus claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 18
The transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the client data is a frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 18 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 18 corresponds to apparatus claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19
The transmission system according to claim 4, wherein the client data is a frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 19 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 19 corresponds to apparatus claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20
The transmission system according to claim 4, wherein the client data is a frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 20 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 20 corresponds to apparatus claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Claims 4, 5, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akihiro, in view of Hidenori, and further in view of Murayama et al. US Pub 2010/00322634 (hereinafter “Murayama”).
Regarding claim 4
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Akihiro and Hidenori do not specifically teach wherein the waiting time information is stored in a specific area of the management frame.
In an analogous art, Murayama discloses wherein the waiting time information (i.e. “Local/Remote Information TLV”) is stored in a specific area of the management frame (“OAM frame” [0216]; Fig. 35).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames, as modified by Hidenori, to include Murayama’s bandwidth allocation method in a passive optical network, in order to efficiently adjust the transmission waiting/delay time (Murayama [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Murayama’s bandwidth allocation method in a passive optical network into Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 5
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori and Murayama, previously discloses The transmission system according to claim 4,
Murayama further discloses wherein the management frame is an OAM frame, and the waiting time information is stored in a Local/Remote Information TLV of the OAM frame (“As shown in FIG. 35, the OAM frame according to the embodiment 5 is configured with an 8-byte preamble, a 2-byte flag (Flags), a 1-byte code (Code), an OAM data (Local Information TLV, Remote Information TLV, Information TLV)” [0216]).
Regarding claim 13
The transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the waiting time information is stored in a specific area of the management frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to apparatus claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 14
The transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the waiting time information is stored in a specific area of the management frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 14 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 14 corresponds to apparatus claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Claims 6, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akihiro, in view of Hidenori, and further in view of Murakami et al. US Pub 2010/007462 (hereinafter “Murakami”).
Regarding claim 6
Akihiro, as modified by Hidenori, previously discloses the transmission system according to claim 1,
Akihiro and Hidenori do not specifically teach wherein the waiting time information is stored in a notification frame, the notification frame being a frame different from the management frame.
In an analogous art, Murakami discloses wherein the waiting time information is stored in a notification frame (“The MAC frame containing the GATE/REPORT message is a 64-byte fixed-length frame, which is configured with an MAC header and a payload. In the MAC header, MAC frame information, such as the transmission source and the destination MAC address, are stored. In the payload, the data and the frame check sequence (FCS) used for an error detection of the MAC frame are stored.” [0005]), the notification frame being a frame different from the management frame (“FIG. 35 is a schematic diagram illustrating a format of an OAM frame according to the embodiment 5.” [0051]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames, as modified by Hidenori, to include Murakami’s data transfer method between subscriber-side apparatus and station-side apparatus, in order to perform a data transfer with an MAC frame using a set logical link (Murakami [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Murakami’s data transfer method between subscriber-side apparatus and station-side apparatus into Akihiro’s method of transmitting of maintenance frames and user frames depending on the timing of insertion and the phase relationship between the user frames since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 15
The transmission system according to claim 2, wherein the waiting time information is stored in a notification frame, the notification frame being a frame different from the management frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 15 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 15 corresponds to apparatus claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16
The transmission system according to claim 3, wherein the waiting time information is stored in a notification frame, the notification frame being a frame different from the management frame.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 16 are similar to the scope and subject matter as claimed in apparatus claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 16 corresponds to apparatus claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Conclusion
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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