DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to claims filed on 10/23/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending 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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/23/2024 and 6/25/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for domestic benefit/national stage under 35 U.S.C. 119(e), 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) for parent Application No PCT/SG2023/050119 filed on 2/28/2023.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copy required by 37 CFR 1.55 for parent Application No
SG10202205297W filed on 5/19/2022
SG10202204596X filed on 4/28/2022.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 10/23/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Abstract
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because the abstract is not limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet. 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).
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 16 states “The second communication apparatus of any one of claims 15…”. Examiner will read this as “The second communication apparatus of claim 15…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-12 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)as being anticipated by Au et al. (US 20260227485 A1; hereinafter Au).
Regarding Claim 1, Au disclose(s):
A first communication apparatus comprising:
circuitry, which, in operation, is configured to generate a request frame indicating a condition to be used by a second communication apparatus to select one or more links, each of the one or more links attached to one or more third communication apparatuses; [(Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
[0284] In some embodiments, an optional sensing by proxy (SBP) procedure can be defined as below. First, an “SBP request” includes a non-AP STA sending an SBP Request frame to an SBP-capable AP STA. An STA that sends an SBP Request frame to invoke SBP (and, as a result, WLAN sensing) is denoted by “SBP requesting STA”. The format and contents of the SBP Request frame are to be determined. Second, an AP STA that receives an SBP request can send to the SBP requesting STA an SBP Response frame to accept or reject the request. The format and contents of the SBP Response frame are to be determined. Then, an AP STA that accepts an SBP request can initiate WLAN sensing procedure(s) with one or more non-AP STA(s) using operational parameters derived from those indicated within the SBP Request frame. The measurement results obtained in WLAN sensing procedure(s) resultant from an SBP request may be reported to the SBP requesting STA.
[0304] In some embodiments, the SBP initiator may request the SBP responder (e.g. during the SBP set up; or in a SBP set-up request frame; or in a SBP set up protocol/exchange/signaling) to, and the SBP responder may, restrict the sensing procedure in an SBP to a list of selected non-AP STAs as sensing responders. Each selected non-AP STA may be specified in terms of its MAC address. When requested, the SBP responder may not include any non-selected non-AP STAs as sensing responders in the sensing procedure in the SBP. The SBP initiator may include itself as one of the sensing responders.
[0305] In some embodiments, a bit pattern in an SBP set-up request frame may be used to indicate the presence or absence of such a request. If the bit pattern indicates a presence of the request, there may be a field in the SBP set-up request frame to indicate a number/count/amount of the selected non-AP STAs. The MAC address of the list of selected non-AP STAs may be transmitted in or after the SBP set-up request frame.
[0308] A third use case of wireless sensing is illustrated in FIG. 6. In this case, AP is both the sensing responder and the sensing receiver for wireless sensing. An 802.11bf compatible STA may be the sensing initiator and the sensing transmitter for wireless sensing. In this case, the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI) may be fed back to the sensing initiator. Some sensing-based results (e.g. task and applications like breathing detection, fall-down detection) may be computed by the sensing initiator based on the sensing measurement results.
[0346] In some embodiments, the present teaching also discloses termination or pause of a session setup/measurement setup associated with a sensing responder. An AP may determine, or AP may receive a determination from SBP initiator in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP), that the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI, CIR, CFR, RSSI) associated with a particular sensing responder may be useless, not useful, and/or least useful for a task (e.g. too noisy, too unstable, too chaotic, too much interference, unreliable, faulty, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with the particular responder, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with all sensing responders, etc.). The determination may be based on (i) a test on the sensing measurement results (e.g. based on a test/measure for noise, stability, variability, randomness/chaos, interference, reliability, fault, error and/or mistakes) and/or (ii) a state/condition/test of system (e.g. the sensing measurement results transmission/storage/associated processing/sensing computation may consume too much bandwidth/memory/processing power/time, or generate too much power, or another task of higher priority needs resources currently allocated to the sensing measurement results). There may be a determination that sensing measurement results associated with another sensing responder may be useful, not useless and/or more useful for the task.
[0347] As a result, the AP may, or may receive a request from SBP initiator in the case of SBP to, terminate the sensing session setup associated with the particular sensing responder. The AP may, or may receive a request from SBP initiator in the case of SBP to, wait for a period of time (e.g. wait until some interfering/noisy/unstable/unreliable/adverse condition is finished, or wait until a user “un-pause” or “un-stop” the sensing) and then start another sensing session (by performing sensing session setup) with the particular sensing responder, using identical or similar or modified sensing session setup settings as the terminated sensing session setup. The determination of the period time may be based on some criteria.
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a transmitter, which, in operation, transmits the request frame to the second communication apparatus to request the second communication apparatus to perform a measurement on the one or more links; and [(Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
[0284] In some embodiments, an optional sensing by proxy (SBP) procedure can be defined as below. First, an “SBP request” includes a non-AP STA sending an SBP Request frame to an SBP-capable AP STA. An STA that sends an SBP Request frame to invoke SBP (and, as a result, WLAN sensing) is denoted by “SBP requesting STA”. The format and contents of the SBP Request frame are to be determined. Second, an AP STA that receives an SBP request can send to the SBP requesting STA an SBP Response frame to accept or reject the request. The format and contents of the SBP Response frame are to be determined. Then, an AP STA that accepts an SBP request can initiate WLAN sensing procedure(s) with one or more non-AP STA(s) using operational parameters derived from those indicated within the SBP Request frame. The measurement results obtained in WLAN sensing procedure(s) resultant from an SBP request may be reported to the SBP requesting STA.
[0304] In some embodiments, the SBP initiator may request the SBP responder (e.g. during the SBP set up; or in a SBP set-up request frame; or in a SBP set up protocol/exchange/signaling) to, and the SBP responder may, restrict the sensing procedure in an SBP to a list of selected non-AP STAs as sensing responders. Each selected non-AP STA may be specified in terms of its MAC address. When requested, the SBP responder may not include any non-selected non-AP STAs as sensing responders in the sensing procedure in the SBP. The SBP initiator may include itself as one of the sensing responders.
[0305] In some embodiments, a bit pattern in an SBP set-up request frame may be used to indicate the presence or absence of such a request. If the bit pattern indicates a presence of the request, there may be a field in the SBP set-up request frame to indicate a number/count/amount of the selected non-AP STAs. The MAC address of the list of selected non-AP STAs may be transmitted in or after the SBP set-up request frame.
[0308] A third use case of wireless sensing is illustrated in FIG. 6. In this case, AP is both the sensing responder and the sensing receiver for wireless sensing. An 802.11bf compatible STA may be the sensing initiator and the sensing transmitter for wireless sensing. In this case, the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI) may be fed back to the sensing initiator. Some sensing-based results (e.g. task and applications like breathing detection, fall-down detection) may be computed by the sensing initiator based on the sensing measurement results.
[0346] In some embodiments, the present teaching also discloses termination or pause of a session setup/measurement setup associated with a sensing responder. An AP may determine, or AP may receive a determination from SBP initiator in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP), that the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI, CIR, CFR, RSSI) associated with a particular sensing responder may be useless, not useful, and/or least useful for a task (e.g. too noisy, too unstable, too chaotic, too much interference, unreliable, faulty, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with the particular responder, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with all sensing responders, etc.). The determination may be based on (i) a test on the sensing measurement results (e.g. based on a test/measure for noise, stability, variability, randomness/chaos, interference, reliability, fault, error and/or mistakes) and/or (ii) a state/condition/test of system (e.g. the sensing measurement results transmission/storage/associated processing/sensing computation may consume too much bandwidth/memory/processing power/time, or generate too much power, or another task of higher priority needs resources currently allocated to the sensing measurement results). There may be a determination that sensing measurement results associated with another sensing responder may be useful, not useless and/or more useful for the task.
[0347] As a result, the AP may, or may receive a request from SBP initiator in the case of SBP to, terminate the sensing session setup associated with the particular sensing responder. The AP may, or may receive a request from SBP initiator in the case of SBP to, wait for a period of time (e.g. wait until some interfering/noisy/unstable/unreliable/adverse condition is finished, or wait until a user “un-pause” or “un-stop” the sensing) and then start another sensing session (by performing sensing session setup) with the particular sensing responder, using identical or similar or modified sensing session setup settings as the terminated sensing session setup. The determination of the period time may be based on some criteria.
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a receiver, which, in operation, receives a report frame from the second communication apparatus carrying one or more reports of the measurement corresponding to the one or more links. [(Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶339; ¶346-347; ¶365; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
[0284] In some embodiments, an optional sensing by proxy (SBP) procedure can be defined as below. First, an “SBP request” includes a non-AP STA sending an SBP Request frame to an SBP-capable AP STA. An STA that sends an SBP Request frame to invoke SBP (and, as a result, WLAN sensing) is denoted by “SBP requesting STA”. The format and contents of the SBP Request frame are to be determined. Second, an AP STA that receives an SBP request can send to the SBP requesting STA an SBP Response frame to accept or reject the request. The format and contents of the SBP Response frame are to be determined. Then, an AP STA that accepts an SBP request can initiate WLAN sensing procedure(s) with one or more non-AP STA(s) using operational parameters derived from those indicated within the SBP Request frame. The measurement results obtained in WLAN sensing procedure(s) resultant from an SBP request may be reported to the SBP requesting STA.
[0365] Sensing-by-proxy (SBP) procedure is used primarily in infrastructure mode. In the infrastructure mode SBP, a non-AP STA (which functions as a SBP initiator) sends a SBP request (using SBP Request frame, or “infrastructure mode SBP Request frame”) to an AP (which functions as a SBP responder) which sends a SBP reply (using SBP response frame) to accept the SBP request. Then the AP performs a sensing procedure with a number of sensing responders (in which the SP functions as sensing initiator), with optional reporting of sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI).
]
Regarding Claim 2, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the condition relates to at least one of a link related parameter, a device related parameter, a number of links to be selected, a condition on whether a responder-to-responder (R2R) link can be selected, and a condition whether a link attached to the first communication apparatus can be selected. [ (See Au ¶304-305; ¶346; ¶378-380)
[0305] In some embodiments, a bit pattern in an SBP set-up request frame may be used to indicate the presence or absence of such a request. If the bit pattern indicates a presence of the request, there may be a field in the SBP set-up request frame to indicate a number/count/amount of the selected non-AP STAs. The MAC address of the list of selected non-AP STAs may be transmitted in or after the SBP set-up request frame.
[0346] In some embodiments, the present teaching also discloses termination or pause of a session setup/measurement setup associated with a sensing responder. An AP may determine, or AP may receive a determination from SBP initiator in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP), that the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI, CIR, CFR, RSSI) associated with a particular sensing responder may be useless, not useful, and/or least useful for a task (e.g. too noisy, too unstable, too chaotic, too much interference, unreliable, faulty, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with the particular responder, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with all sensing responders, etc.). The determination may be based on (i) a test on the sensing measurement results (e.g. based on a test/measure for noise, stability, variability, randomness/chaos, interference, reliability, fault, error and/or mistakes) and/or (ii) a state/condition/test of system (e.g. the sensing measurement results transmission/storage/associated processing/sensing computation may consume too much bandwidth/memory/processing power/time, or generate too much power, or another task of higher priority needs resources currently allocated to the sensing measurement results). There may be a determination that sensing measurement results associated with another sensing responder may be useful, not useless and/or more useful for the task.
]
Regarding Claim 3, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 2, wherein the link related parameter is at least one of a Received Signal Strength Indicator and a Received Channel Power Indicator received on a link, and the device related parameter is at least one of a device type, a device location, a device identifier and a device address. (See Au ¶304-305; ¶346; ¶378-380)
[0305] In some embodiments, a bit pattern in an SBP set-up request frame may be used to indicate the presence or absence of such a request. If the bit pattern indicates a presence of the request, there may be a field in the SBP set-up request frame to indicate a number/count/amount of the selected non-AP STAs. The MAC address of the list of selected non-AP STAs may be transmitted in or after the SBP set-up request frame.
[0346] In some embodiments, the present teaching also discloses termination or pause of a session setup/measurement setup associated with a sensing responder. An AP may determine, or AP may receive a determination from SBP initiator in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP), that the sensing measurement results (e.g. CSI, CIR, CFR, RSSI) associated with a particular sensing responder may be useless, not useful, and/or least useful for a task (e.g. too noisy, too unstable, too chaotic, too much interference, unreliable, faulty, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with the particular responder, or a user “pause” or “stop” the sensing associated with all sensing responders, etc.). The determination may be based on (i) a test on the sensing measurement results (e.g. based on a test/measure for noise, stability, variability, randomness/chaos, interference, reliability, fault, error and/or mistakes) and/or (ii) a state/condition/test of system (e.g. the sensing measurement results transmission/storage/associated processing/sensing computation may consume too much bandwidth/memory/processing power/time, or generate too much power, or another task of higher priority needs resources currently allocated to the sensing measurement results). There may be a determination that sensing measurement results associated with another sensing responder may be useful, not useless and/or more useful for the task.
[0379] In some embodiments, the SBP initiator may specify/describe/list/provide a number of admissible sensing responders. The SBP initiator may restrict the NIM SBP procedure, or the NIM sensing procedure performed by/to be initiated by the SBP responder/sensing initiator, such that the SBP responder/sensing initiator may only allow the number of admissible sensing responders to join the NIM sensing procedure (or, the SBP initiator may only want/prefer to receive, and the SBP responder may only provide to SBP initiator, sensing measurement results from the admissible sensing responders). Other sensing responders that are not in the list of admissible sensing responders are “inadmissible” and may not be allowed to join the NIM sensing procedure. To specify the number of admissible sensing responders, the SBP initiator may provide a unique identifier (ID) (e.g. any of a user ID (UID), an association (AID), a universally unique ID (UUID), a globally unique ID (GUID), a MAC address, or an internet protocol (IP) address, an internal ID in the system, etc.) of each admissible sensing responder.
]
Regarding Claims 4 and 15, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the report frame carries information identifying each of the one or more links corresponding to the one or more reports of the measurement. [(See Au ¶135; ¶222-238; ¶304-320; ¶346; ¶378-380; Fig. 15)
[0135] Each Type 1 device may be associated with a respective identifier (e.g. ID). Each Type 2 device may also be associated with a respective identify (ID). The ID may comprise: numeral, combination of text and numbers, name, password, account, account ID, web link, web address, index to some information, and/or another ID. The ID may be assigned. The ID may be assigned by hardware (e.g. hardwired, via dongle and/or other hardware), software and/or firmware. The ID may be stored (e.g. in database, in memory, in server (e.g. hub device), in the cloud, stored locally, stored remotely, stored permanently, stored temporarily) and may be retrieved. The ID may be associated with at least one record, account, user, household, address, phone number, social security number, customer number, another ID, another identifier, timestamp, and/or collection of data. The ID and/or part of the ID of a Type 1 device may be made available to a Type 2 device. The ID may be used for registration, initialization, communication, identification, verification, detection, recognition, authentication, access control, cloud access, networking, social networking, logging, recording, cataloging, classification, tagging, association, pairing, transaction, electronic transaction, and/or intellectual property control, by the Type 1 device and/or the Type 2 device.
[0222] The Measurement Setup ID may be used to identify attributes of the sensing measurement instances. The Measurement Instance ID may be used to identify the sensing measurement instance that utilizes attributes of the same Measurement Setup ID. The Dialog Token field may be used to contain both the Measurement Setup ID and the Measurement Instance ID. At least one type of sensing measurement results may be defined. The sensing transmitter and sensing receiver role(s) of a STA corresponding to a Measurement Setup ID may be fixed, unchanged, changed, modified or adjusted as determined during the sensing measurement set up until the sensing measurement set up is terminated.
[0223] In the sensing session setup of a sensing procedure, a sensing session may be established, and operational parameters associated with the sensing session may be determined and may be exchanged between STAs. A sensing session may be pairwise and may be identified by MAC addresses, associated AID/UID, a session ID, or another ID. A sensing initiator may maintain multiple sensing sessions. A STA may be a sensing initiator in one session and a sensing responder in another session.
[0224] An optional negotiation process in the sensing measurement setup may be defined that allows for a sensing initiator and a sensing responder to exchange and agree on operational attributes associated with a sensing measurement instance. The operational attributes may include initiator's and responder's roles, measurement report types (for nonlocal reporting or local reporting or both), and other operational parameters.
[0238] Sensing measurement report frame: A Sensing Measurement Report frame, which may allow a sensing receiver to report sensing measurements nonlocally, may be defined. This frame may contain at least the following two fields: (a) measurement report control field which contains information necessary to interpret the measurement report field, and (b) measurement report field which carries sensing measurement results (e.g. channel information, CI, CSI, CIR, CFR, RSSI, or some variant) obtained by a sensing receiver.
[0319] In some embodiments, there can be measurement instance sharing across sessions. As one measurement instance can be associated with more than one session in standard, a measurement instance associated with more than one measurement setups can be associated with more than one sets of {measurement setup ID, session ID}. FIG. 15 illustrates an example of measurement instances with more than one {measurement setup ID, session ID}.
[0320] As such, according to some embodiments, in 802.11bf, a measurement instance may or may not be allowed to be associated with more than one measurement setup ID. According to some embodiments, in 802.11bf, a measurement instance may or may not be allowed to be associated with more than one {measurement setup ID, session ID}.
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Regarding Claim 5, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 4, wherein, prior to receiving the report frame, the receiver receives a response frame from the second communication apparatus carrying the information identifying each of the one or more links. [(See Au ¶235; ¶284-285; ¶376; ¶723-724)
[0284] In some embodiments, an optional sensing by proxy (SBP) procedure can be defined as below. First, an “SBP request” includes a non-AP STA sending an SBP Request frame to an SBP-capable AP STA. An STA that sends an SBP Request frame to invoke SBP (and, as a result, WLAN sensing) is denoted by “SBP requesting STA”. The format and contents of the SBP Request frame are to be determined. Second, an AP STA that receives an SBP request can send to the SBP requesting STA an SBP Response frame to accept or reject the request. The format and contents of the SBP Response frame are to be determined. Then, an AP STA that accepts an SBP request can initiate WLAN sensing procedure(s) with one or more non-AP STA(s) using operational parameters derived from those indicated within the SBP Request frame. The measurement results obtained in WLAN sensing procedure(s) resultant from an SBP request may be reported to the SBP requesting STA.
[0376] In some embodiments, a non-infrastructure mode (NIM) SBP procedure is defined which is similar to the infrastructure mode SBP, except that the AP in the infrastructure mode SBP is replaced by a STA in non-infrastructure mode. A frame (public or protected) similar to SBP Request frame is defined in a protocol or standard (e.g. 802.11, 802.11bf) which allows a STA in non-infrastructure mode (which functions as a SBP initiator, or NIM SBP initiator) to use the frame to send a NIM SBP request to another STA in non-infrastructure mode (which, like the AP in infrastructure mode SBP, functions as SBP responder or NIM SBP responder) which sends a NIM SBP reply (e.g. SBP response frame or a similar frame) to accept the SBP request. The SBP Request frame may have bits/fields to indicate/specify whether the SBP responder may be a sensing transmitter, or a sensing receiver, or both, or none in the NIM sensing procedure to be initiated by it. Then the another STA (being both SBP responder and sensing initiator) may perform/initiate a NIM sensing procedure with a number of sensing responders (STAs in non-infrastructure mode). Measurement results obtained in the non-infrastructure mode sensing procedure may be optionally reported by the sensing responders to the sensing initiator, and by the SBP responder (sensing initiator) to the SBP initiator. The another STA (i.e. SBP responder and sensing initiator) may assign the Measurement Setup ID in its SBP reply.
[0723] In some embodiments, in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP, or proxy sensing), a device (acting in the role of/acting as “SBP initiator device” and/or proxy initiator) may perform/do SBP initiation handshake/protocol (standard compliant protocol) with an access-point (AP) device (acting in the role of/as “SBP responder device” and/or proxy responder). To initiate an SBP, the SBP initiator may send a SBP request message/frame to SBP responder device. SBP responder (AP device) may reply with SBP response/reply message/frame to SBP initiator. The AP device may agree to join the SBP and may, on behalf of the SBP initiator, initiate (as sensing initiator) sensing sessions and/or sensing measurements with a number of sensing responders (non-AP devices, as requested by SBP initiator). Some specific sensing responders may have been specifically requested by the SBP initiator (SBP initiator may have specified the MAC addresses of those specific sensing responders in the SBP request). Sensing measurement results obtained by non-AP sensing receivers (as sensing responder and sensing receiver) may be sent/reported locally to upper layers of the non-AP sensing receivers, or nonlocally to AP (sensing initiator) from the sensing receivers. Sensing measurements may also be obtained directly by the AP device (as sensing initiator and sensing receiver). The AP (as SBP responder) may collect some/any/all the measurement results, and transmit them (after packing/organizing/processing them into some SBP report frames) to the SBP initiator device. The AP may report them locally to an upper layer (above PHY/MAC Layers) in the AP.
]
Regarding Claim 6, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim1, wherein the request frame further indicates whether the one or more reports carried in the report frame comprises a report of a measurement on a link to which the first communication apparatus is attached. [(See Au ¶235; ¶339-346; ¶392; ¶620; Fig. 19; Fig. 23)
[0339] In both examples, the AP may configure/negotiate/arrange individually with the two non-AP STAs such that the two non-AP STAs can identify each other (each with at least one corresponding ID, e.g. identifiable network address, identifiable wireless network address/ID, AP assigned ID, initiator assigned ID, user defined ID, MAC address) and the two non-AP STAs would send NDP as sounding signal to each other so that sensing measurement results may be obtained/generated in both non-AP STA. The AP may send a second P2P-sensing-triggering frame to the pair of non-AP STAs. The second P2P-sensing-triggering frame may be a NDPA frame, a Trigger Frame, the special NDPA-Trigger frame (mentioned above), the first P2P-sensing-triggering frame, or another frame. A separate first P2P-sensing-triggering frame may be sent to each pair of non-AP STAs, or a common/shared first P2P-sensing-triggering frame may be sent to multiple (e.g. some or all) available STA(s). Then the first non-AP STA would send NDP to the second non-AP STA to generate sensing measurement results at the second non-AP STA and the second non-AP STA would send NDP to the first non-AP STA to generate sensing measurement results at the first non-AP STA. The sensing measurement results may be used/needed in the second non-AP STA, or the sensing results can optionally be transmitted from the second non-AP STA (sensing responder) to the AP (sensing initiator). In the SBP example, the AP (SBP responder) may further report the sensing results to the SBP initiator.
[0341] In sensing procedure initiated by AP, responder-to-responder sounding may be optionally allowed, for a two-way responder-to-responder sensing. For example, a two-way sounding between two responders is optionally allowed in a sensing procedure initiated by AP, with an NDP from responder1 (R1) to responder2 (R2) and another NDP from responder2 (R2) to responder1 (R1). This can be useful when there are N responders forming a daisy chain or a scanning order or a configuration.
[0342] For an example of N=3, three responders R1, R2 and R3 may form a closed daisy chain or a closed loop. R2 can get CSI between R1-R2 and also between R2-R3. It can perform useful WLAN sensing computation based on the two CSIs. Optionally the CSI may be reported to AP.
[0343] FIG. 19 shows an example of two-way responder-to-responder sensing. In this example, four sensing responders R1, R2, R3 and R4 are configured to form a network (e.g. daisy chain). Some “links” may do two-way sensing (e.g. R1-R2, or R2-R3) such that each linked pair would send NDP to each other in tandem (e.g. R1-to-R2 NDP and R2-to-R1 NDP).
[0344] Some links may do one-way sensing (e.g. R3-R4, R4-R1) such that NDP would be sent in one direction only. R2 has two CSIs: CSI between R1-R2, and CSI between R2-R3 (could have more CSI if R2 is further linked to additional responders such as R4). In some embodiments, reporting's of sensing measurements are optional.
[0345] According to some embodiments, in the optional responder-to-responder sensing, a first sensing responder should be allowed to perform one-way sensing or two-way sensing with a second sensing responder. In the one-way sensing, an NDP is sent from the first responder to the second responder. In the two-way sensing, an NDP is sent from the first responder to the second responder followed by another NDP sent from the second responder to the first responder.
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[0619] Special case 1: First device=third device. First device is sensing initiator.
[0620] Clause B3. The method/device/system/software of the wireless two-way sensing system in clause B1 or 2, further comprising: initiating a sensing session by the first device based on the protocol, wherein the third device is the first device, wherein the first device is a sensing initiator, wherein the second device is a sensing responder, wherein the first wireless signal is an initiator-to responder (I2R) sounding signal, wherein the second wireless signal is a responder-to-initiator (R2I) sounding signal.
]
Regarding Claim 7, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 1 wherein, prior to receiving the report frame, the receiver further receives a validation request frame to request for verification information indicating that the first communication apparatus is authorized to receive the one or more reports; the circuitry is configured to process the validation request frame and generate a validation response frame comprising the verification information; and the transmitter transmits the validation response frame. [(See Au ¶68; ¶291-301)
[0068] Wireless connection (e.g. association, authentication) between the Type 1 device and another wireless device may be established (e.g. using a signal handshake). The Type 1 device may send a first handshake signal (e.g. sounding frame, probe signal, request-to-send RTS) to the another device. The another device may reply by sending a second handshake signal (e.g. a command, or a clear-to-send CTS) to the Type 1 device, triggering the Type 1 device to transmit the signal (e.g. series of probe signals) in the broadcasting manner to multiple Type 2 devices without establishing connection with any Type 2 device. The second handshake signals may be a response or an acknowledge (e.g. ACK) to the first handshake signal. The second handshake signal may contain a data with information of the venue, and/or the Type 1 device. The another device may be a dummy device with a purpose (e.g. primary purpose, secondary purpose) to establish the wireless connection with the Type 1 device, to receive the first signal, and/or to send the second signal. The another device may be physically attached to the Type 1 device.
[0291] In some embodiments, the AP STA may provide privacy protection/access control for the wireless sensing system formed by the AP STA and the non-AP STA. The AP STA may belong to a User and be installed at the user's home/office/facility. The User may specify/designate/select some user devices (e.g. User's devices, some permitted users'devices, User's trusted devices, User's recognized devices, User's permitted devices) as “permitted” or “selected” STA to send the SBP-LR/SBP request to enable sensing, e.g. using some authentication protocol, some pairing procedure, some identification procedure, some password, etc. The User may also specify/designate/select some WiFi devices “visible” to the AP STA (e.g. neighbors'WiFi devices, public devices, commercial devices, unknown devices, devices not trusted by the user, or devices owned by unauthorized users such as tenants or residents or visitors of the User's home/office/facility) as “non-permitted” or “non-selected” or “rejected” devices.
[0301] The proxy-initiator may be an “authorized” or “trusted” device that the AP allows/authorizes/ authenticates to initiate one of the non-selective SBP, or non-selective SBP, or both. A first qualification test/setup/procedure may be performed in order for the SBP-initiator to be authorized by the AP to initiate non-selective SBP (first authorization). A second qualification test/setup/procedure may be performed in order for the SBP-initiator to be authorized by the AP to initiate selective SBP (second authorization). The SBP-initiator may have one of the first authorization and the second authorization, or both. One of the first authorization and the second authorization may imply the other.
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Regarding Claims 8 and 17, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the request frame is a Sensing By Proxy (SBP) Request frame; the response frame is an SBP Response frame and the measurement is a sensing measurement; and the report frame is an SBP Report frame. [(Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; ¶723; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
[0723] In some embodiments, in the case of sensing-by-proxy (SBP, or proxy sensing), a device (acting in the role of/acting as “SBP initiator device” and/or proxy initiator) may perform/do SBP initiation handshake/protocol (standard compliant protocol) with an access-point (AP) device (acting in the role of/as “SBP responder device” and/or proxy responder). To initiate an SBP, the SBP initiator may send a SBP request message/frame to SBP responder device. SBP responder (AP device) may reply with SBP response/reply message/frame to SBP initiator. The AP device may agree to join the SBP and may, on behalf of the SBP initiator, initiate (as sensing initiator) sensing sessions and/or sensing measurements with a number of sensing responders (non-AP devices, as requested by SBP initiator). Some specific sensing responders may have been specifically requested by the SBP initiator (SBP initiator may have specified the MAC addresses of those specific sensing responders in the SBP request). Sensing measurement results obtained by non-AP sensing receivers (as sensing responder and sensing receiver) may be sent/reported locally to upper layers of the non-AP sensing receivers, or nonlocally to AP (sensing initiator) from the sensing receivers. Sensing measurements may also be obtained directly by the AP device (as sensing initiator and sensing receiver). The AP (as SBP responder) may collect some/any/all the measurement results, and transmit them (after packing/organizing/processing them into some SBP report frames) to the SBP initiator device. The AP may report them locally to an upper layer (above PHY/MAC Layers) in the AP.
]
Regarding Claims 9 and 18, Au disclose(s):
The first communication apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communication apparatus and the third communication apparatus are non-access-point (non-AP) stations and the second communication apparatus is an access point. (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
Regarding Claim 10, Au disclose(s):
A second communication apparatus comprising:
A receiver, which, in operation, receives a request frame from a first communication apparatus, the request frame indicating a condition to select one or more links, each of the one or more links attached to one or more third communication apparatuses; (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
circuitry, which, in operation, is configured to generate a report frame carrying one or more reports of a measurement corresponding to the one or more links; and (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
a transmitter, which, in operation, transmits the report frame to the first communication apparatus. (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
Regarding Claim 11, Au disclose(s):
The second communication apparatus of claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to select the one or more links based on the condition, and performs the measurement on the one or more links to obtain the one or more reports. (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
Regarding Claims 12, Au disclose(s):
The second communication apparatus of claim 10, wherein, prior to generating the report frame, the circuitry is configured to generate a setup request frame for each of the one or more third communication apparatuses to setup the measurement on the each of the one or more third communication apparatuses, the setup request frame comprising an identifier of or an address of the first communication apparatus, and the transmitter transmits the setup request frame to the each of the one or more third communication apparatuses. [(Au ¶220-223; ¶235; ¶757-768; Fig. 1-2)
[0220] Sensing procedure: A sensing procedure may allow a STA to perform sensing and obtain measurement results. A sensing procedure may be composed of one or more of the following: sensing session setup, sensing measurement setup, sensing measurement instance, sensing measurement setup termination, and sensing session termination. A sensing procedure may comprise one or more sensing measurement instances.
[0221] Sensing session: A sensing session may be an agreement between a sensing initiator and a sensing responder to participate in a sensing procedure. A sensing procedure may comprise zero, or at least one sensing measurement instance. Some examples of a sensing procedure are shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.
[0222] The Measurement Setup ID may be used to identify attributes of the sensing measurement instances. The Measurement Instance ID may be used to identify the sensing measurement instance that utilizes attributes of the same Measurement Setup ID. The Dialog Token field may be used to contain both the Measurement Setup ID and the Measurement Instance ID. At least one type of sensing measurement results may be defined. The sensing transmitter and sensing receiver role(s) of a STA corresponding to a Measurement Setup ID may be fixed, unchanged, changed, modified or adjusted as determined during the sensing measurement set up until the sensing measurement set up is terminated.
[0223] In the sensing session setup of a sensing procedure, a sensing session may be established, and operational parameters associated with the sensing session may be determined and may be exchanged between STAs. A sensing session may be pairwise and may be identified by MAC addresses, associated AID/UID, a session ID, or another ID. A sensing initiator may maintain multiple sensing sessions. A STA may be a sensing initiator in one session and a sensing responder in another session.
[0235] A setting (e.g. of the combination of local and nonlocal reporting, any setup parameter, any session setup parameter, one of the measurement setup parameters) may be applied to a “measurement span”. The measurement span may include measurement instances associated with multiple sensing initiators, or identity of sensing initiators, or sensing initiator IDs, or multiple sessions associated with one (or more) sensing initiator, or a session, or an identity of a session, or a session ID, or multiple measurement setup in a session, or a measurement setup, or an identity of measurement setup, or a measurement setup ID, or multiple measurement instance associated with a measurement setup (or measurement setup ID), or a measurement instance number.
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Regarding Claims 16, Au disclose(s):
The second communication apparatus of any one of claims 15, wherein the circuitry is configured to assign a different setup identifier to each of the one or more links, and generate a response frame subsequent to receiving the request frame comprising the different setup identifier assigned to the each of the one or more links; and the information carried in the report frame comprises the different setup identifier assigned to the each of the one or more links. [(See Au ¶135; ¶220-238; ¶304-320; ¶346; ¶378-380; ¶757-768; Fig. 1-2 and 15)
Regarding Claims 19, Au disclose(s):
A communication method implemented by a first communication apparatus comprising:
generating a request frame indicating a condition to be used by a second communication apparatus to select one or more links, each of the one or more links attached to one or more third communication apparatuses; (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
transmitting the request frame to the second communication apparatus to request the second communication apparatus to perform a measurement on the one or more links; and (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
receiving a report frame, from the second communication apparatus, carrying one or more reports of the measurement corresponding to the one or more links. (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
Regarding Claims 20, Au disclose(s):
A communication method implemented by a second communication apparatus comprising:
receiving a request frame from a first communication apparatus, the request frame indicating a condition to select one or more links, each of the one or more links attached to one or more third communication apparatuses; (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
generating a report frame carrying one or more reports of a measurement corresponding to the one or more links; and (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
transmitting the report frame to the first communication apparatus. (Au ¶284-285; ¶305-315; ¶321-329; ¶346-347; ¶378-380; Fig. 6-13; Fig. 17; Fig. 19-27)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 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 any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/RKF/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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