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 .
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)(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.
2. Claims 42-46, 48, 50-55, 57, 59-61 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KO (WO 2022075821, hereinafter Ko).
Regarding claim 42, Ko discloses a multi-link device, MLD (page 87; para 02; MLD1), comprising:
at least one processor (page 07; last para; a processor); and
at least one memory (page 12; para 02; a memory) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (page 13; para 02; instructions stored in the memory to be executed by the processor), cause the MLD at least to:
determine at least one of statistic information associated with the MLD or delay
information associated with the MLD (page 39; last para; the AP MLD may measure information on frame transmission delay time for a link it operates. The specification of the transmission delay time may be stored by continuously updating a predetermined period of time (eg, 100 ms) within the AP. In the case of an AP MLD supporting a low-delay transmission operation, statistical information related to a transmission delay time of a frame transmitted on each link operated by the AP MLD may be provided. That is, each AP belonging to the AP MLD may provide statistical information related to a transmission delay time of a frame transmitted from the corresponding AP and another AP belonging to the same AP MLD); and
in response to receiving a request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information from a second MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA ), transmit the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information to the second MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03; page 87; para 01; The statistical information may be transmitted while being included in a beacon frame, a probe response frame, and an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD. If there is a frame requesting a low delay time, the STA that has confirmed the statistical information may perform an access process with the AP belonging to the AP MLD through the operations based on the corresponding information).
Regarding claim 51, Ko discloses a multi-link device, MLD (page 87; para 02; MLD1), comprising:
at least one processor (page 07; last para; a processor); and
at least one memory (page 12; para 02; a memory) storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (page 13; para 02; instructions stored in the memory to be executed by the processor), cause the MLD at least to:
transmit, to a first MLD, a request for at least one of statistic information associated with the first MLD or delay information associated with the first MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA); and
receive, from the first MLD, a report on the at least one of the statistic information
or the delay information (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA).
Regarding claim 60, Ko discloses a method, comprising:
determine, at a multi-link device, MLD, at least one of statistic information associated with the MLD or delay information associated with the MLD (page 39; last para; the AP MLD may measure information on frame transmission delay time for a link it operates. The specification of the transmission delay time may be stored by continuously updating a predetermined period of time (eg, 100 ms) within the AP. In the case of an AP MLD supporting a low-delay transmission operation, statistical information related to a transmission delay time of a frame transmitted on each link operated by the AP MLD may be provided. That is, each AP belonging to the AP MLD may provide statistical information related to a transmission delay time of a frame transmitted from the corresponding AP and another AP belonging to the same AP MLD); and
in response to receiving a request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information from a second MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA ), transmitting the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information to the second MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03; page 87; para 01; The statistical information may be transmitted while being included in a beacon frame, a probe response frame, and an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD. If there is a frame requesting a low delay time, the STA that has confirmed the statistical information may perform an access process with the AP belonging to the AP MLD through the operations based on the corresponding information).
Regarding claim 61, Ko discloses a method comprising:
transmitting, from a multi-link device, MLD to a first MLD, a request for at least one of statistic information associated with the first MLD or delay information associated with the first MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA); and
receiving, from the first MLD, a report on the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA).
Regarding claim 43, Ko discloses wherein the MLD is configured to receive the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information by:
receiving a station statistics request frame from the second MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA which implies that the request is for station statistics).
Regarding claims 44 and 54, Ko discloses wherein the station statistics request frame comprises: a first address of a first medium access control, MAC (page 26; para 01-03; MAC), entity of the MLD in a first subelemnet field, the first address indicating to request the at least one of the statistic information and the delay information associated with the MLD (page 26; last para).
Regarding claims 45 and 55, Ko discloses wherein the MLD is configured to transmit a station statistics report frame, and the station statistics report frame comprises at least one of the following:
the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA), or a first address of a first medium access control, MAC (page 127; last para), entity of the MLD or a second address of a second MAC entity of the second MLD in a second subelement field, the first (page 64; last para; page 131; para 02; MAC address).
Regarding claim 46, Ko discloses wherein the station statistics request frame comprises: a first address of a first medium access control, MAC, entity of the MLD
(page 26; para 01-03; page 64; last para; MAC address), the first address indicating to request the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information associated with the MLD (page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA).
Regarding claims 48 and 57, Ko discloses wherein the statistic information comprises at least one
of the following:
a number of fragment frames transmitted by the MLD,
a number of multicast frames transmitted by the MLD,
a number of frames transmitted failures by the MLD,
a number of fragment frames received by the MLD,
a number of frames with frame check sequence error received by the MLD
a number of fragment frames transmitted by the MLD,
a number of frames retransmitted by the MLD,
a number of frames multiple retransmitted by the MLD,
a number of frames re-received by the MLD,
a number of requests to send, RTS, successfully transmitted by the MLD (page 41; para 01),
a number of RTS failed transmitted by the MLD (page 41; para 01), or
a number of unacknowledged frames transmitted by the MLD.
Regarding claim 50, Ko discloses at least one antenna configured to
facilitate communication (page 05; para 02; antennas).
Regarding claim 52, Ko discloses wherein the MLD is configured to transmit the request for at least one of the statistic information or the delay information by:
transmitting a station statistics request frame to the first MLD (page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA which implies that the request is for station statistics).
Regarding claim 53, Ko discloses wherein the station statistics request frame comprises: a first address of a first medium access control, MAC (page 26; para 01-03; MAC), entity of the first MLD in a first subelement field, the first address indicating to request the at least one of the statistic information and the delay information associated with the first MLD (page 26; last para).
Regarding claim 59, Ko dislcoses wherein the MLD is configured to transmit the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information in response to receiving, from an access control device, a query request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information associated with the first MLD.
(page 40; first para; page 42; para 02-03 - statistics information may be transmitted after being included in an access response frame transmitted by the AP MLD, wherein response implies a corresponding request; also page 131; para 03; STA transmits a request frame to an AP to perform a low latency operation response frame for a low latency operation from an AP to a STA which implies that the request is for station statistics).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 20claimed 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.
3. Claims 47 and 56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko in view of Son (KR 20150054626, hereinafter Son).
Regarding claim 47, Ko discloses wherein the MLD comprises a first station management entity, SME (page 27; para 01; SME), and a first medium access control sublayer management entity, MLME (page 27; para 01; MLME).
Ko does not explicitly disclose wherein the first MLME is configured to provide a first indication primitive to the first SME so as to indicate that the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information was received.
In an analogous art, Son discloses wherein the first MLME is configured to provide a first indication primitive to the first SME so as to indicate that the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information was received (pages 17 & 18; para 01-03). ). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ko’s method/system by having Son’s disclosure in order to improve local network performance by reducing network delays.
Regarding claim 56, Ko discloses wherein the MLD comprises a second station management entity, SME (page 27; para 01; SME), and a second medium access control sublayer management entity, MLME (page 27; para 01; MLME).
Ko does not explicitly disclose wherein the second SME is configured to provide a second request primitive to the second MLME so as to indicate that the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information is to be transmitted.
In an analogous art, Son discloses wherein the second SME is configured to provide a second request primitive to the second MLME so as to indicate that the request for the at least one of the statistic information or the delay information is to be transmitted (pages 17 & 18; para 01-03). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ko’s method/system by having Son’s disclosure in order to improve local network performance by reducing network delays.
4. Claims 49 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ko in view of Kneckt et al. (US 2022/0418022, hereinafter Kneckt).
Regarding claims 49 and 58, Ko does not explicitly disclose wherein the delay information comprises at least one of
the following:
MLD average access delay,
MLD average delay on a quality of service QoS frame with a priority of best effort,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of background,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of video,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of voice,
Non-AP MLD number, or
MLD channel utilization.
In an analogous art, Kneckt discloses wherein the delay information comprises at least one of
the following:
MLD average access delay,
MLD average delay on a quality of service QoS frame with a priority of best effort,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of background,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of video,
MLD average delay on the QoS frame with a priority of voice,
Non-AP MLD number (para 0096), or
MLD channel utilization (para 0122).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ko’s method/system by having Kneckt’s disclosure in order to improve the resource allocation of a communication system.
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMINA CHOUDHRY whose telephone number is (571)270-7102. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday (7:30 a.m. to 5.00p.m.).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached on (571)272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAMINA F CHOUDHRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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