DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to the application 18/902,408 filed on September 30th, 2024.
Claim Status
This office action is based upon claims received on 09/30/2024, which replace all prior or other submitted versions of the claims.
Claims 1 – 20 are pending.
Claims 1 – 20 are rejected.
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 statement (IDS) submitted on 09/30/2024 and 01/31/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wilhelmsson et al. [US 20240251441 A1] hereinafter Wilhelmsson, and further in view of Guo et al. [US 20240389142 A1] hereinafter Guo.
Regarding claim 1, Wilhelmsson teaches a method comprising:
determining, by a computing device (Wilhelmsson: in view of Figures 7 – 9), a relaxation value (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the second signal (e.g. narrowband interferer, (i.e., the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5)) and its bandwidth are determined…and the received power not falling in the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer is determined. This may e.g. be done by measuring the total power in the first frequency range (e.g. BW_sens) and subtracting the power of the second signal (e.g. in the second frequency range or BW_signal part where the narrowband interferer is identified, where BW_signal as before is the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer). Therefore, the determined value is the relaxation value);
changing an energy detection Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) threshold by the relaxation value for a punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the threshold may be increased based on the capability to perform attenuating or preventing transmission of the first signal within the second frequency range… and a new threshold is calculated as described in Embodiment 1, i.e., based only on the received power within the bandwidth of the second signal (i.e., the punctured subchannel/second signal in the second frequency range being the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5), and the first signal may or may not be transmitted (i.e., during the second frequency range) based on the new threshold. Therefore, the new threshold is calculated using the received power within the bandwidth of the Bluetooth signal); and
reporting the punctured subchannel as busy when energy is detected in the punctured subchannel above the changed energy detection CCA threshold (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 33 – 37, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein LBT is performed with respect to other potential wideband signals, using the received power after the power from the narrowband interferer is subtracted and comparing this with the standard threshold (i.e., the LBT is performed using the new threshold)… If it is found that the channel is busy, the device performing LBT has to defer from channel access according to the ordinary rules (i.e., if the narrowband interferer subchannel is busy, the device performing the LBT does not transmit Wi-Fi within the Bluetooth range)).
Assuming arguendo that Wilhelmsson does not explicitly disclose that the value calculated is a relaxation value, Guo teaches that an energy detection threshold can be determined based on power spectral density that corresponds to the maximum configured transmit power of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth (Guo: Fig. 6A, Fig. 13, ¶ 35 – 36, ¶ 139 – 141; wherein the ED threshold may be defined based on an occupied bandwidth. In some examples, the occupied bandwidth may be larger than the single channel LBT bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz). Therefore, the wireless communication device may adjust the ED threshold to account for the actual occupied bandwidth… ED threshold 1310 can be determined based on a power spectral density 1306 (Configured PSD [dBm/MHz]) corresponding to the maximum configured transmit power 1304 (Configured P [dBm]) of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth 1302 (Channel BW [MHz])… thus, the new ED threshold 1310/1314 may be increased as compared to the existing uplink ED threshold 1312 by 3 dB. Thus, with the above-indicated computation of the new ED threshold 1310, the ED threshold can be relaxed for wideband operation).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the increased energy detection (ED) threshold calculations as taught by Guo into the Listen-before-Talk (LBT) threshold teachings of Wilhelmsson, in order to improve spectrum utilization, throughput, and transmission stability in environments affected by punctured subchannels.
Regarding claim 2, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the relaxation value comprises a minimum of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 49; wherein the threshold may depend on the maximum used transmit (TX) power, Pmax. Specifically, if the maximum allowed TX power e.g. would be 24 dBm, the threshold may be increased proportionally in case a lower TX power is used. Therefore, the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel).
Regarding claim 3, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-power of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein … the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-power).
Regarding claim 4, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-dB of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, and the threshold is calculated in dBm/MHz (i.e., mean-in-dB) therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-dB).
Regarding claim 5, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining the relaxation value further comprises multiplying the relaxation value by a factor between zero and one (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51, ¶ 64; wherein in an example alternative approach to circumvent that the threshold is selected to be too high, a scaling factor is introduced so that, effectively, the difference in the bandwidths of the first and second frequency ranges is scaled with a factor, k, where 0<k<=1. For example:
Threshold= -85dBm/MHz + BW_sens - k*(BW_sens - BW_signal)).
Regarding claim 6, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises an Access Point (AP) (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 9, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 107 – 113; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising network nodes (e.g., network node QQ300), and examples of network nodes include access points (APs)).
Regarding claim 7, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a client device (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 8, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 92; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising UEs (e.g., UE QQ200)).
Regarding claim 8, Wilhelmsson teaches a system (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 7, ¶ 81 – 82; in view of the communication system QQ100 which comprises network nodes and UEs) comprising:
a memory storage (Wilhelmsson: Figs. 7 – 9, ¶ 99, ¶ 113, ¶ 186; in view of the memory of each component of the communication system, memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry); and
a processing unit disposed in a computing device coupled to the memory storage (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 9, ¶110 – 113; in view of the processing circuitry QQ302 coupled to the memory QQ304 of the network node), wherein the processing unit is operative to:
determine a relaxation value (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the second signal (e.g. narrowband interferer, (i.e., the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5)) and its bandwidth are determined…and the received power not falling in the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer is determined. This may e.g. be done by measuring the total power in the first frequency range (e.g. BW_sens) and subtracting the power of the second signal (e.g. in the second frequency range or BW_signal part where the narrowband interferer is identified, where BW_signal as before is the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer). Therefore, the determined value is the relaxation value);
change an energy detection Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) threshold by the relaxation value for a punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the threshold may be increased based on the capability to perform attenuating or preventing transmission of the first signal within the second frequency range… and a new threshold is calculated as described in Embodiment 1, i.e., based only on the received power within the bandwidth of the second signal (i.e., the punctured subchannel/second signal in the second frequency range being the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5), and the first signal may or may not be transmitted (i.e., during the second frequency range) based on the new threshold. Therefore, the new threshold is calculated using the received power within the bandwidth of the Bluetooth signal); and
report the punctured subchannel as busy when energy is detected in the punctured subchannel above the changed energy detection CCA threshold (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 33 – 37, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein LBT is performed with respect to other potential wideband signals, using the received power after the power from the narrowband interferer is subtracted and comparing this with the standard threshold (i.e., the LBT is performed using the new threshold)… If it is found that the channel is busy, the device performing LBT has to defer from channel access according to the ordinary rules (i.e., if the narrowband interferer subchannel is busy, the device performing the LBT does not transmit Wi-Fi within the Bluetooth range)).
Assuming arguendo that Wilhelmsson does not explicitly disclose that the value calculated is a relaxation value, Guo teaches that an energy detection threshold can be determined based on power spectral density that corresponds to the maximum configured transmit power of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth (Guo: Fig. 6A, Fig. 13, ¶ 35 – 36, ¶ 139 – 141; wherein the ED threshold may be defined based on an occupied bandwidth. In some examples, the occupied bandwidth may be larger than the single channel LBT bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz). Therefore, the wireless communication device may adjust the ED threshold to account for the actual occupied bandwidth… ED threshold 1310 can be determined based on a power spectral density 1306 (Configured PSD [dBm/MHz]) corresponding to the maximum configured transmit power 1304 (Configured P [dBm]) of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth 1302 (Channel BW [MHz])… thus, the new ED threshold 1310/1314 may be increased as compared to the existing uplink ED threshold 1312 by 3 dB. Thus, with the above-indicated computation of the new ED threshold 1310, the ED threshold can be relaxed for wideband operation).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the increased energy detection (ED) threshold calculations as taught by Guo into the Listen-before-Talk (LBT) threshold teachings of Wilhelmsson, in order to improve spectrum utilization, throughput, and transmission stability in environments affected by punctured subchannels.
Regarding claim 9, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the relaxation value comprises a minimum of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 49; wherein the threshold may depend on the maximum used transmit (TX) power, Pmax. Specifically, if the maximum allowed TX power e.g. would be 24 dBm, the threshold may be increased proportionally in case a lower TX power is used. Therefore, the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel).
Regarding claim 10, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-power of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein … the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-power).
Regarding claim 11, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-dB of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, and the threshold is calculated in dBm/MHz (i.e., mean-in-dB) therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-dB).
Regarding claim 12, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the processing unit being operative to determine the relaxation value further comprises the processing unit being operative to multiply the relaxation value by a factor between zero and one (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51, ¶ 64; wherein in an example alternative approach to circumvent that the threshold is selected to be too high, a scaling factor is introduced so that, effectively, the difference in the bandwidths of the first and second frequency ranges is scaled with a factor, k, where 0<k<=1. For example:
Threshold= -85dBm/MHz + BW_sens - k*(BW_sens - BW_signal)).
Regarding claim 13, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the computing device comprises an Access Point (AP) (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 9, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 107 – 113; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising network nodes (e.g., network node QQ300), and examples of network nodes include access points (APs)).
Regarding claim 14, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the system of claim 8, wherein the computing device comprises a client device (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 8, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 92; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising UEs (e.g., UE QQ200)).
Regarding claim 15, Wilhelmsson teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions (Wilhelmsson: Figs. 7 – 9, ¶ 99, ¶ 113, ¶ 186; in view of the memory being a non-transitory device-readable and/or computer-executable memory devices that store information, data, and/or instructions that may be used by the processing circuitry) which when executed perform a method executed by the set of instructions comprising:
determining, by a computing device (Wilhelmsson: in view of Figures 7 – 9), a relaxation value (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the second signal (e.g. narrowband interferer, (i.e., the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5)) and its bandwidth are determined…and the received power not falling in the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer is determined. This may e.g. be done by measuring the total power in the first frequency range (e.g. BW_sens) and subtracting the power of the second signal (e.g. in the second frequency range or BW_signal part where the narrowband interferer is identified, where BW_signal as before is the bandwidth of the narrowband interferer). Therefore, the determined value is the relaxation value);
changing an energy detection Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) threshold by the relaxation value for a punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein the threshold may be increased based on the capability to perform attenuating or preventing transmission of the first signal within the second frequency range… and a new threshold is calculated as described in Embodiment 1, i.e., based only on the received power within the bandwidth of the second signal (i.e., the punctured subchannel/second signal in the second frequency range being the Bluetooth as shown in Fig. 5), and the first signal may or may not be transmitted (i.e., during the second frequency range) based on the new threshold. Therefore, the new threshold is calculated using the received power within the bandwidth of the Bluetooth signal); and
reporting the punctured subchannel as busy when energy is detected in the punctured subchannel above the changed energy detection CCA threshold (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 5, ¶ 33 – 37, ¶ 40 – 51, ¶ 55 – 68; wherein LBT is performed with respect to other potential wideband signals, using the received power after the power from the narrowband interferer is subtracted and comparing this with the standard threshold (i.e., the LBT is performed using the new threshold)… If it is found that the channel is busy, the device performing LBT has to defer from channel access according to the ordinary rules (i.e., if the narrowband interferer subchannel is busy, the device performing the LBT does not transmit Wi-Fi within the Bluetooth range)).
Assuming arguendo that Wilhelmsson does not explicitly disclose that the value calculated is a relaxation value, Guo teaches that an energy detection threshold can be determined based on power spectral density that corresponds to the maximum configured transmit power of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth (Guo: Fig. 6A, Fig. 13, ¶ 35 – 36, ¶ 139 – 141; wherein the ED threshold may be defined based on an occupied bandwidth. In some examples, the occupied bandwidth may be larger than the single channel LBT bandwidth (e.g., 20 MHz). Therefore, the wireless communication device may adjust the ED threshold to account for the actual occupied bandwidth… ED threshold 1310 can be determined based on a power spectral density 1306 (Configured PSD [dBm/MHz]) corresponding to the maximum configured transmit power 1304 (Configured P [dBm]) of the wireless communication device per the occupied bandwidth 1302 (Channel BW [MHz])… thus, the new ED threshold 1310/1314 may be increased as compared to the existing uplink ED threshold 1312 by 3 dB. Thus, with the above-indicated computation of the new ED threshold 1310, the ED threshold can be relaxed for wideband operation).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the increased energy detection (ED) threshold calculations as taught by Guo into the Listen-before-Talk (LBT) threshold teachings of Wilhelmsson, in order to improve spectrum utilization, throughput, and transmission stability in environments affected by punctured subchannels.
Regarding claim 16, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the relaxation value comprises a minimum of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 49; wherein the threshold may depend on the maximum used transmit (TX) power, Pmax. Specifically, if the maximum allowed TX power e.g. would be 24 dBm, the threshold may be increased proportionally in case a lower TX power is used. Therefore, the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel).
Regarding claim 17, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-power of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein … the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-power).
Regarding claim 18, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the relaxation value comprises a mean-in-dB of an amount that the computing device can suppress its Transmit (TX) Power Spectral Density (PSD) for the punctured subchannel (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51; wherein the average sensed power of a narrowband signal within the wideband channel may be relatively low. Thus, if the relaxation value by which the threshold is increased is proportionate to the TX power (i.e., wherein the sensed power is an average of the total power (i.e., the mean-in-power) of the signal) used to suppress the TX for the punctured subchannel, and the threshold is calculated in dBm/MHz (i.e., mean-in-dB) therefore, the relaxation value comprises the mean-in-dB).
Regarding claim 19, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the relaxation value further comprises multiplying the relaxation value by a factor between zero and one (Wilhelmsson: ¶ 5, ¶ 49 – 51, ¶ 64; wherein in an example alternative approach to circumvent that the threshold is selected to be too high, a scaling factor is introduced so that, effectively, the difference in the bandwidths of the first and second frequency ranges is scaled with a factor, k, where 0<k<=1. For example:
Threshold= -85dBm/MHz + BW_sens - k*(BW_sens - BW_signal)).
Regarding claim 20, Wilhelmsson in view of Guo teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computing device comprises one of an Access Point (AP) (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 9, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 107 – 113; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising network nodes (e.g., network node QQ300), and examples of network nodes include access points (APs)) and a client device (Wilhelmsson: Fig. 8, ¶ 82, ¶ 84, ¶ 92; in view of the communication system QQ100 comprising UEs (e.g., UE QQ200)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhang et al. [US 20230209606 A1]: Random Access Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RA-RNTI) with Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) Repetition.
Chen et al. [US 20220029735 A1]: Spectral Mask for Subchannel Puncturing in EHT Networks.
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/HD/Examiner, Art Unit 2414
/SAUMIT SHAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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