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 (IDSs) were submitted on 11/21/2024 and 07/31/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informality:
Claim 7 recites, “second MDL” (line 2). It is suggested to replace it with “second MLD” for more clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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)(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.
(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 1-4, 6-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by IEEE P802.11 be/2.0 “Draft Standard for Information technology- Telecommunications and information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan area networks - Specific requirement”, May 2022 (hereinafter, “IEEE”)1
Regarding claim 1, IEEE discloses, a method comprising:
transmitting, by a station (STA) to a first access point (AP), a request frame including information related to at least one of a second AP or a first multi- link device (MLD) [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, "When a STA affiliated with a nonAP MLD includes a Probe Request Multi-Link element in an ML a MultiLink probe request, the Link ID subfield of the STA Control field contained in a Per-STA Profile subelement identifies the AP whose information is requested in the ML Multi-Link probe request"; further see section 35.3.2.2; section 35.3.4.2, "If the Probe Request variant Multi-Link element in the Multi-Link probe request includes one or more per-STA profiles, then only APs affiliated with the same AP MLD as the AP identified in the Address 1 or Address 3 field or MLD ID of the Multi-Link probe request and whose link ID is equal to the value in the Link ID field in a per-STA profile in the Probe Request variant Multi-Link element in the Multi-Link probe request are requested APs", "If a STA affiliated with a nonAP MLD sends an ML a Multi-Link probe request to an AP to retrieve partial profile for AP(s) affiliated with the targeted AP MLD, the ST A shall include the (Extended) Request element in the Probe Request frame body of the Multi-Link probe request and/or a Per-STA Profile subelement in a Probe Request Multi-Link element carried in the Probe Request frameMulti-Link probe request"; section 9.4.2.312.3]; and
receiving, by the STA from the first AP, a response frame for the request frame, wherein the response frame includes at least one per-STA profile, [section 35.3.2.2, "Only Management frames belonging to subtypes (Re)Association Request, Request or (Re)Association Response, or Probe Response that is an ML can carry complete profile of a reported STA"; further see section 35.3.4.2, as cited above and "A Multi-Link probe response is a Probe Response frame: that is transmitted in response to receiving an ML a Multi-Link probe request and that includes Basic Multi-Link element which can carry complete or partial per-STA profile(s), based on the soliciting request, for each of the requested AP(s) of affiliated with the targeted AP MLD"; further see section 35.3.20.2, "Per-STA Profile subelement of the Basic Multi-Link element for a reported AP", "the AP reported in the per-STA profile", "Figure 35-41 (Example of inheritance in a complete per-STA profile for a multiple BSSID scenario illustrates inheritance when a per-STA profile carries complete profile in a Basic Multi-Link element that is contained in a nontransmitted BSSID profile of a Multiple BSSID element. The example shows a Management frame transmitted by an AP corresponding to the transmitted BSSID", "An AP corresponding to the transmitted BSSID shall not include a Basic Multi-Link element in the Nontransmitted BSSID Profile subelement of a Multiple BSSID element unless the corresponding nontransmitted BSSID is affiliated with an AP MLD", "Multi-Link probe response"; figure 35-41, "Info of AP(s) in multiple BSSID set on reporting Link", "Info of AP(s) on other Link(s)],
wherein an inheritance or a non-inheritance for the at least one per-STA profile is based on a profile of a non-transmitted (non-Tx) basic service set identifier (BSSID) [section 35.3.20.2, as cited and "When Basic Multi-Link element is carried in a Nontransmitted BSSID Profile subelement in a Multiple BSSID element, the value of an element, that is not present in the Per-STA Profile subelement of the Basic Multi-Link element for a reported AP, shall be the same as the corresponding element value as that of the nontransmitted. BSSID profile that carried the Basic Multi-Link element or as the element of the transmitted BSSID, present elsewhere in the frame, which is inherited by the nontransmitted BSSID. The hierarchy of inheritance is from transmitted BSSID to the nontransmitted BSSID that carried the Basic Multi-Link element and from the nontransmitted BSSID to the AP reported in the per-STA profile"; section 9.4.2.240; figure 35-41, "NonTxBSSID Profile N", "Element (ID=D)" , "Basic variant Multi-link" , "Per-STA Profile x" , "Non-Inheritance [ID= A]", "Data", "Element (ID=B)", "Non-Inheritance [ID= E”; note that an inheritance or non-inheritance for the value of an element of the Per-STA profile in the basic multi-link element is based on whether an element is present or not present in the Per-STA profile, and in case of the element is not present in the Per-STA profile, the element is inherited from the nontransmitted BSSID].
Regarding claim 2, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the profile of the non-Tx BSSID is included in a multiple BSSID (MBSSID) element [section 35.3.20.2, as cited and "When Basic Multi-Link element is carried in a Nontransmitted BSSID Profile subelement in a Multiple BSSID element].
Regarding claim 3, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 2 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the at least one per-STA profile is included in a multi-link (ML) element [section 35.3.20.2, as cited and "When Basic Multi-Link element is carried in a Nontransmitted BSSID Profile subelement in a Multiple BSSID element, the value of an element, that is not present in the Per-STA Profile subelement of the Basic Multi-Link element for a reported AP].
Regarding claim 4, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 3 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the ML element includes a complete per-STA profile for at least one reported AP [section 35.3.2.2, "Only Management frames belonging to subtypes (Re)Association Request, Request or (Re)Association Response, or Probe Response that is an ML can carry complete profile of a reported STA" further see section 35.3.4.2, as cited above and "A Multi-Link probe response is a Probe Response frame: that is transmitted in response to receiving an ML a Multi-Link probe request and that includes Basic Multi-Link element which can carry complete or partial per-STA profile(s)].
Regarding claim 6, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the profile of the non-Tx BSSID corresponds to a profile of an AP affiliated with a same MLD as the second AP, or a profile of an AP affiliated with the first MLD [section 35.3.20.2 and FIG. 35-41, the Multiple BSSID element includes a “Nontrasnmitted BSSID profile N,” which carries a Basic Multi-Link element having a “Per-STA profile” corresponding to a reported AP; text proceding FIG. 35-41 states that the corresponding nontransmitted BSSID is affiliated with an AP MLD and that the Per-STA profiled corresponds to a reported P affiliated with the same AP MLD].
Regarding claim 7, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the first AP is affiliated with a second MDL [section 35.3.4.2, as cited above and "A Multi-Link probe response is a Probe Response frame: that is transmitted in response to receiving an ML a Multi-Link probe request and that includes Basic Multi-Link element which can carry complete or partial per-STA profile(s), based on the soliciting request, for each of the requested AP(s) of affiliated with the targeted AP MLD; further see section 35.3.20, An AP affiliated with an AP MLD].
Regarding claim 8, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the first AP is an AP corresponding to a transmitted (Tx) BSSID [see sections 35.3.20.1 and 35.20.2, an AP corresponding to the transmitted BSSID].
Regarding claim 9, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the inheritance includes, individually in the at least one per-STA profile, a same information or element as the profile of the non-Tx BSSID being omitted [section 35.3.20.2, as cited and "When Basic Multi-Link element is carried in a Nontransmitted BSSID Profile subelement in a Multiple BSSID element, the value of an element, that is not present in the Per-STA Profile subelement of the Basic Multi-Link element for a reported AP, shall be the same as the corresponding element value as that of the nontransmitted. BSSID profile that carried the Basic Multi-Link element or as the element of the transmitted BSSID, present elsewhere in the frame, which is inherited by the nontransmitted BSSID. The hierarchy of inheritance is from transmitted BSSID to the nontransmitted BSSID that carried the Basic Multi-Link element and from the nontransmitted BSSID to the AP reported in the per-STA profile"; section 9.4.2.240; figure 35-41, "NonTxBSSID Profile N", "Element (ID=D)" , "Basic variant Multi-link" , "Per-STA Profile x" , "Non-Inheritance [ID= A]", "Data", "Element (ID=B)", "Non-Inheritance [ID= E”; note that in case of the element is not present in the Per-STA profile, the element is inherited from the nontransmitted BSSID].
Regarding claim 10, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the non-inheritance includes, individually in the at least one per-STA profile, at least one information or element not included in the profile for the AP corresponding to the non-Tx BSSID being included [see section 9.4.2.240 along with section 35.3.20.2 and FIG. 35-41, “The non-inheritance element can be present as the last element in the nontransmitted BSSID profile subelement of a Multiple BSSID element or as the last element in the Per-STA subelement of Basic Multip element when the profile is complete. When (Non-inheritance element is) present in the Per-STA profile subelement of a Basic Multi-Link element, the Non-inheritance element identifies one or more elements that are not inherited by the STA corresponding to the per-STA profile. The identified element are present in the Management frame transmitted by the STA that includes the Basic Multi-Link element and are not contained within the Per-STA profile subelement that carried the Non-Inheritance element”].
Regarding claim 11, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: a non-inheritance field within the response frame includes information indicating at least one information or element not included in the profile for the AP corresponding to the non-Tx BSSID [see section 9.4.2.240 along with section 35.3.20.2 and FIG. 35-41, “The non-inheritance element can be present as the last element in the nontransmitted BSSID profile subelement of a Multiple BSSID element or as the last element in the Per-STA subelement of Basic Multip element when the profile is complete. When (Non-inheritance element is) present in the Per-STA profile subelement of a Basic Multi-Link element, the Non-inheritance element identifies one or more elements that are not inherited by the STA corresponding to the per-STA profile. The identified element are present in the Management frame transmitted by the STA that includes the Basic Multi-Link element and are not contained within the Per-STA profile subelement that carried the Non-Inheritance element”].
Regarding claim 12, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 1 as set forth above.
IEEE discloses, wherein: the request frame is one of a probe request frame, a ML probe request frame, an association request frame, or a reassociation request frame, the response frame is one of a probe response frame [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, "When a STA affiliated with a nonAP MLD includes a Probe Request Multi-Link element in an ML a MultiLink probe request, the Link ID subfield of the STA Control field contained in a Per-STA Profile subelement identifies the AP whose information is requested in the ML Multi-Link probe request"], a ML probe response frame, an association response frame, or a reassociation response frame [section 35.3.2.2, "Only Management frames belonging to subtypes (Re)Association Request, Request or (Re)Association Response, or Probe Response that is an ML can carry complete profile of a reported STA"; further see section 35.3.4.2, as cited above and "A Multi-Link probe response is a Probe Response frame: that is transmitted in response to receiving an ML a Multi-Link probe request and that includes Basic Multi-Link element which can carry complete or partial per-STA profile(s), based on the soliciting request, for each of the requested AP(s) of affiliated with the targeted AP MLD"].
Regarding claim 13, IEEE discloses, a device [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, STA] comprising:
at least one transceiver [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, STA; note that every communication device such as STA has at least one transceiver]; and
at least one processor connected to the at least one transceiver [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, STA; note that every communication device such as STA has at least one processor connected to the transceiver], wherein the at least one processor [section 35.3.21, section 35.3.2.1, STA; note that every communication device such as STA has at least one processor].
Since claim 13 recites similar features to claim 1 without additional features, claim 13 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 1.
Regarding claim 15, IEEE discloses, a device [sections 32.3.2.1 and 35.3.4.2, AP] comprising:
at least one transceiver [sections 32.3.2.1 and 35.3.4.2, AP; note that every communication device such as AP has at least one transceiver]; and
at least one processor connected to the at least one transceiver [sections 32.3.2.1 and 35.3.4.2, AP; note that every communication device such as AP has at least one processor connected to the transceiver], wherein the at least one processor [sections 32.3.2.1 and 35.3.4.2, AP; note that every communication device such as AP has at least one processor].
Since claim 15 is merely different from claim 1 in that it recites claimed features from the perspective of a counterpart device, but recites similar features to claim 1 without additional features, claim 15 is rejected at least based on a similar rationale applied to claim 1.
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, 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IEEE P802.11 be/2.0 “Draft Standard for Information technology- Telecommunications and information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan area networks - Specific requirement”, May 2022 (hereinafter, “IEEE”) in view of Ghosh et al (US Publication No. 2021/0274574 A1).
Regarding claim 5, IEEE discloses, the method of Claim 3 as set forth above.
Although IEEE discloses, wherein: the ML element is included in a body of the response frame [section 35.3.4.2, as cited above and "A Multi-Link probe response is a Probe Response frame: that is transmitted in response to receiving an ML a Multi-Link probe request and that includes Basic Multi-Link element which can carry complete or partial per-STA profile(s)], IEEE does not explicitly disclose (see, italicized limitations), but Ghosh discloses, wherein: the ML element is . . . outside the MBSSID element [¶0081, a RNR for MLD system may facilitate that the affiliated (reporting) AP can include at least one of the following information in the MBSSID element or ML element within or external to the MBSSID element].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of IEEE to provide features, ML element outside the MBSSID as taught by Ghosh to arrive at the claimed invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a combination in order to provide the system of IEEE with enhanced flexibility in selecting positions of the ML element with respect to the MBSSID, and thus improve overall system performance [¶0081 of Ghosh].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cariou et al (US Publication No. 2021/0289568 A1) [FIG. 6; its related descriptions]
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/SUN JONG KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
1 IEEE was cited in an IDS by the applicant.
Prosecution Insights