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 .
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-7, 9, 11-13, 15 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Insun et al. ( Indication of Multi-link Information, IEEE 802.11-20/0028r0, LG Electronics, 01/13/2020, IDS disclosed by applicant, hereinafter “D1”) in view of Gan et al. (CN 113395750A, hereinafter “Gan”).
Regarding claims 1, 7 and 13, D1 discloses a method in a wireless local area network (WLAN) system, the method comprising: transmitting, by a first non-access point (non-AP) station (STA) affiliated with a non- AP multi-link device (MLD) to a first AP affiliated with an AP MLD, a probe request frame (see slide 3, probe request from Non-AP station to first AP affiliated with an AP MLD) including a multi-link element to request the first AP to provide information of a second AP affiliated with the AP MLD (see slide 5, ML includes other link information), wherein the first non-AP STA operates in a first link, and the second AP operates in a second link (see slide 3, STA A and STA B operating on different links). and receiving, by the first non-AP STA from the first AP, a probe response frame including an operation element of the second AP (see slide 3, respond set of operating links). D1 discloses all the subject matter but fails to mention wherein the multi-link element includes per-STA information comprising a link identifier (ID) related to the second AP. However, Gan from a similar field of endeavor discloses wherein the multi-link element includes per-STA information comprising a link identifier (ID) related to the second AP (see para. 0052, page 11, link identifier corresponding to the station and identification of AP; para. 0102, page 21, link identifier with station MAC address and associated identification of AP). Thus, it would have been obvious to include Gan information into D1 multi-element. The method can be implemented in a frame. The motivation of doing this is to provide information of STA information with link identifier and associated AP.
Regarding claims 3, 9 and 15, D1 discloses wherein the probe response frame further includes information related to whether a link pair for the first link and the second link forms a Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STR) link pair (see slides 5 and 6, simultaneous TX/RX capability of operating links).
Regarding claims 5, 11 and 17, D1 discloses all the subject matter but fails to mention wherein the first link or the second link is configured based on at least one of a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band, and/or a 6 GHz band. However, Gan from a similar field of endeavor discloses wherein the first link or the second link is configured based on at least one of a 2.4 GHz band, a 5 GHz band, and/or a 6 GHz band (see para. 0040). Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to include Gan frequency range into D1 multi-link communication. The method can be implemented in communication devices. The motivation of doing this is to operate at different frequency bands for different coverage areas.
Regarding claims 6, 12 and 18, D1 discloses wherein the probe request frame is transmitted on the first link, and the probe response frame is received on the first link (see slide 3).
Claim(s) 2, 8 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable overD1 in view of Gan as applied to claims 1, 7 and 13 above, and further in view of Swoboda (US 2011/0119541 A1).
Regarding claims 2, 8 and 14, D1 and Gan disclose all the subject matter but fails to mention wherein the link ID has a length of 4 bits. However, Swoboda discloses wherein the link ID has a length of 4 bits (see para. 0088, 4bit link identifier). Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to include Swoboda link identifier bit length into D1 and Gan ML element. The method can be implemented in a frame. The motivation of doing this to properly identify a link.
Claim(s) 4, 10 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 in view of as applied to claims 1, 7 and 13 above, and further in view of Moon et al. (US 2016/0315681 A1, hereinafter “Moon”)
Regarding claims 4, 10 and 16, D1 and Gan disclose all the subject matter but fails to mention wherein the multi-link element further includes a 1-bit information field related to whether the information of the second AP in the probe request frame is related to a partial profile or a complete profile. However, Moon from a similar field of endeavor discloses wherein the multi-link element further includes a 1-bit information field related to whether the information of the second AP in the probe request frame is related to a partial profile or a complete profile (see para. 0195, 1 bit for different response frame, short or partial if bit is set to 0). Thus, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to include probe request bit information into D1 and Gan probe request, The method can be implemented in a frame. The motivation of doing this is to save resources.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD S ANWAR whose telephone number is (571)270-5641. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6-5 EST.
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MOHAMMAD S. ANWAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2463
/MOHAMMAD S ANWAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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