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 § 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 (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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 6-7, 16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lou (Pub. No.: 2023/0163808 A1).
1) In regard to claim 1, Lou discloses the claimed communication method (fig. 14), comprising:
sending, by a first station (STA), a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to establish a coordinated transmission between multiple STAs (fig. 14: 1420 and ¶0238, ¶0171 and Abstract).
2) In regard to claim 2, Lou discloses the claimed first station (fig. 1b), comprising:
a processor (fig. 1b: 118) and a memory (fig. 1b: 130),
wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first station (STA) to perform:
sending a trigger frame, wherein the trigger frame is used to establish a coordinated transmission between multiple STAs (fig. 14: 1420 and ¶0238, ¶0171 and Abstract).
3) In regard to claim 6 (dependent on claim 2), Lou further discloses the first STA according to claim 2, wherein an AID and/or a VAID of the first STA is configured by a target device (¶0136).
4) In regard to claim 7 (dependent on claim 6), Lou further discloses the first STA according to claim 6, wherein the target device is a coordinating device; the coordinating device is an access point (AP); or the coordinating device is a device other than an AP (¶0113 and ¶0236).
5) In regard to claim 16, Lou discloses the claimed second station (fig. 1b), comprising:
a processor (fig. 1b: 118) and a memory (fig. 1b: 130),
wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the communication device to perform following step:
receiving a trigger frame sent from a first STA, wherein the trigger frame is used to establish a coordinated transmission between multiple STAs (fig. 14: 1420 and ¶0238, ¶0171 and Abstract).
6) In regard to claim 19 (dependent on claim 18), Lou further discloses the second STA according to claim 18, wherein the identification information of the j-th STA is a 12-bit virtual association identifier (VAID) and/or 12 least significant bits of an association identifier (AID) of the j-th STA (¶0136).
7) In regard to claim 20 (dependent on claim 16), Lou further discloses the second STA according to claim 16, wherein an AID and/or a VAID of the second STA is configured by a target device; Wherein the target device is a coordinating device; the coordinating device is an access point (AP); or the coordinating device is a device other than an AP (¶0113 and ¶0236).
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 (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.
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.
Claims 3-5, 8-15 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lou (Pub. No.: 2023/0163808 A1) in view of Adachi (Pub. No.: 2023/0180058 A1).
1) In regard to claim 3 (dependent on claim 2), Lou discloses the first STA according to claim 2, wherein a common information field of the trigger frame (¶0103).
Lou does not explicitly disclose the field comprises at least one of: a trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the trigger type subfield is used to represent a type of the trigger frame; a transmission mode subfield, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by transmission opportunity (TXOP) sharing of the multiple STAs, and/or whether the multiple STAs enable a TXOP sharing mode; an uplink and downlink indication subfield, wherein a value of the uplink and downlink indication subfield is used to indicate whether a TXOP is used for a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission; or a sharing transmission indication subfield, wherein a value of the sharing transmission indication subfield is used to indicate whether the multiple STAs enable the TXOP sharing mode.
However, Adachi discloses it has been known for a communication system to include at least one of: a trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the trigger type subfield is used to represent a type of the trigger frame; a transmission mode subfield, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by transmission opportunity (TXOP) sharing of the multiple STAs, and/or whether the multiple STAs enable a TXOP sharing mode; an uplink and downlink indication subfield, wherein a value of the uplink and downlink indication subfield is used to indicate whether a TXOP is used for a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission; or a sharing transmission indication subfield, wherein a value of the sharing transmission indication subfield is used to indicate whether the multiple STAs enable the TXOP sharing mode (¶0140, ¶0149 and ¶0172).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to allow Lou to include at least one of the subfields, as taught by Adachi.
One skilled in the art would be motivated to modify Lou as described above in order to reduce frame overhead and conserve bandwidth.
2) In regard to claim 4 (dependent on claim 2), Lou discloses the first STA according to claim 2.
Lou does not explicitly disclose the trigger frame comprises one or more user information subfields; an i-th user information subfield of the one or more user information subfields is a user information subfield of an i-th STA; i is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the i-th STA is one of the multiple STAs; the i-th user information subfield comprises at least one of: an identification subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the identification subfield of the i-th STA is used to carry identification information of the i-th STA; a transmission mode subfield of the i-th STA, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield of the i-th STA is used to represent a coordinated transmission mode used by TXOP sharing of the i-th STA, and/or whether the i-th STA enables a TXOP sharing mode; a transmit power subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the transmit power subfield of the i-th STA is used to indicate a maximum transmit power used by the i-th STA; or an uplink and downlink indication subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the uplink and downlink indication subfield of the i-th STA is used to indicate that the coordinated transmission of the i-th STA is a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission.
However, Adachi discloses it has been known for a communication system to include in a trigger frame one or more user information subfields; an i-th user information subfield of the one or more user information subfields is a user information subfield of an i-th STA; i is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the i-th STA is one of the multiple STAs; the i-th user information subfield comprises at least one of: an identification subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the identification subfield of the i-th STA is used to carry identification information of the i-th STA; a transmission mode subfield of the i-th STA, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield of the i-th STA is used to represent a coordinated transmission mode used by TXOP sharing of the i-th STA, and/or whether the i-th STA enables a TXOP sharing mode; a transmit power subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the transmit power subfield of the i-th STA is used to indicate a maximum transmit power used by the i-th STA; or an uplink and downlink indication subfield of the i-th STA, wherein the uplink and downlink indication subfield of the i-th STA is used to indicate that the coordinated transmission of the i-th STA is a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission (¶0115 and fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to allow Lou to include at least one of a user subfield, as taught by Adachi.
One skilled in the art would be motivated to modify Lou as described above in order to reduce frame overhead and conserve bandwidth.
3) In regard to claim 5 (dependent on claim 4), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 4, wherein the identification information of the i-th STA is a 12-bits virtual association identifier (VAID) and/or 12 least significant bits of an association identifier (AID) of the i-th STA (Adachi ¶0127).
4) In regard to claim 8 (dependent on claim 3), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 3, wherein the trigger frame is a first trigger frame; the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: sending the first trigger frame, wherein the first trigger frame is used for the multiple STAs to perform a simultaneous uplink coordinated transmission; the multiple STAs comprises at least one of: a third STA or a fourth STA; wherein the third STA is associated with the first STA, the fourth STA is associated with a second STA, and the second STA is different from the first STA, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to further perform: receiving uplink data sent from the third STA, after a first duration from a moment when the first trigger frame is sent; sending a block acknowledgement (BA) to the third STA (Adachi ¶0104-¶0110).
5) In regard to claim 9 (dependent on claim 8), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: in a case where an uplink CBF mode and/or a C-UL MU-MIMO mode is enabled, performing a beam nulling operation on the fourth STA after the first duration from the moment when the first trigger frame is sent, and receiving, by the first STA, the uplink data sent from the third STA (Adachi ¶0104).
6) In regard to claim 10 (dependent on claim 8), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: in a case where an uplink COFDMA mode and/or a CSR mode is enabled, receiving uplink data of the third STA in a first resource unit (RU) after the first duration from the moment when the first trigger frame is sent; wherein the first RU is a resource corresponding to the third STA (Adachi ¶0104).
7) In regard to claim 11 (dependent on claim 3), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 3, wherein the trigger frame is a third trigger frame; the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: sending the third trigger frame, wherein the third trigger frame is used for the multiple STAs to perform a simultaneous downlink coordinated transmission; the multiple STAs comprise the first STA and a second STA; the second STA is different from the first STA, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to further perform: sending downlink data to a third STA after a third duration from that the third trigger frame is sent, the third STA is associated with the first STA; receiving a block acknowledgement (BA) sent from the third STA (Lou ¶0239-¶0240).
8) In regard to claim 12 (dependent on claim 11), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: in a case where a downlink CBF mode is enabled, performing a beam nulling operation on a fourth STA after the third duration from that the third trigger frame is sent, and sending the downlink data to the third STA; wherein the fourth STA is associated with the second STA (Lou ¶0142).
9) In regard to claim 13 (dependent on claim 11), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: in a case where a downlink COFDMA mode and/or a CSR mode is enabled, sending the downlink data to the third STA in a first resource unit (RU) after the third duration from that the third trigger frame is sent; wherein the first RU is a resource corresponding to the third STA (Lou ¶0109).
10) In regard to claim 14 (dependent on claim 3), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 3, wherein the trigger frame is a fourth trigger frame; the processor is configured to call and run the computer program stored in the memory, to cause the first STA to perform: sending the fourth trigger frame, wherein the fourth trigger frame is used for the multiple STAs to perform a simultaneous coordinated transmission; the multiple STAs comprise: a third STA and a second STA; and the third STA is associated with the first STA (Lou ¶0112-¶0113).
11) In regard to claim 15 (dependent on claim 14), Lou and Adachi further disclose the first STA according to claim 14, wherein the fourth trigger frame is used to trigger the third STA to perform a simultaneous uplink coordinated transmission, and trigger the second STA to perform a simultaneous downlink coordinated transmission (Lou ¶0112-¶0113).
12) In regard to claim 17 (dependent on claim 16), Lou discloses the 17. The second STA according to claim 16, wherein a common information field of the trigger frame (¶0103).
Lou does not explicitly disclose the field comprises at least one of: a trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the trigger type subfield is used to represent a type of the trigger frame; a transmission mode subfield, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by transmission opportunity (TXOP) sharing of the multiple STAs, and/or whether the multiple STAs enable a TXOP sharing mode; an uplink and downlink indication subfield, wherein a value of the uplink and downlink indication subfield is used to indicate that a TXOP is used for a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission; or a sharing transmission indication subfield, wherein a value of the sharing transmission indication subfield is used to indicate whether the multiple STAs enable the TXOP sharing mode.
However, Adachi discloses it has been known for a communication system to include at least one of: a trigger type subfield, wherein a value of the trigger type subfield is used to represent a type of the trigger frame; a transmission mode subfield, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by transmission opportunity (TXOP) sharing of the multiple STAs, and/or whether the multiple STAs enable a TXOP sharing mode; an uplink and downlink indication subfield, wherein a value of the uplink and downlink indication subfield is used to indicate that a TXOP is used for a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission; or a sharing transmission indication subfield, wherein a value of the sharing transmission indication subfield is used to indicate whether the multiple STAs enable the TXOP sharing mode (¶0140, ¶0149 and ¶0172).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to allow Lou to include at least one of the subfields, as taught by Adachi.
One skilled in the art would be motivated to modify Lou as described above in order to reduce frame overhead and conserve bandwidth.
13) In regard to claim 18 (dependent on claim 17), Lou discloses the second STA according to claim 17.
Lou does not explicitly disclose the trigger frame comprises one or more user information subfields; a j-th user information subfield of the one or more user information subfields is a user information subfield of a j-th STA; j is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the j-th STA is one of the multiple STAs; the j-th user information subfield comprises at least one of: an identification subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the identification subfield of the j-th STA is used to carry identification information of the j-th STA; a transmission mode subfield of the j-th STA, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by TXOP sharing of the j-th STA, and/or whether the j-th STA enables a TXOP sharing mode; a transmit power subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the transmit power subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate a maximum transmit power used by the j-th STA; or an uplink and downlink indication subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the uplink and downlink indication subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate that the coordinated transmission of the j-th STA is a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission.
However, Adachi discloses it has been known for a communication system to include in a trigger frame comprises one or more user information subfields; a j-th user information subfield of the one or more user information subfields is a user information subfield of a j-th STA; j is an integer greater than or equal to 1, and the j-th STA is one of the multiple STAs; the j-th user information subfield comprises at least one of: an identification subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the identification subfield of the j-th STA is used to carry identification information of the j-th STA; a transmission mode subfield of the j-th STA, wherein a value of the transmission mode subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate a coordinated transmission mode used by TXOP sharing of the j-th STA, and/or whether the j-th STA enables a TXOP sharing mode; a transmit power subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the transmit power subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate a maximum transmit power used by the j-th STA; or an uplink and downlink indication subfield of the j-th STA, wherein the uplink and downlink indication subfield of the j-th STA is used to indicate that the coordinated transmission of the j-th STA is a simultaneous uplink transmission or a simultaneous downlink transmission (¶0115 and fig. 5).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the claimed invention was filed to allow Lou to include at least one of a user subfield, as taught by Adachi.
One skilled in the art would be motivated to modify Lou as described above in order to reduce frame overhead and conserve bandwidth.
Conclusion
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/CURTIS J KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
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