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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicants’ communication filed on 10/24/2024. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-20 are currently pending in the instant application.
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.
Claims 11-13 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dural et al. (US 2015/0296468 A1).
Regarding Claim 11 Dural teaches the limitations "A wireless device comprising: at least one transceiver to transmit and receive radio frequency (RF) signals; and a baseband processor coupled to the at least one transceiver to process baseband signals, wherein the baseband processor comprises a host for a first communication protocol and a controller for the first communication protocol, (see fig. 9, 11 and par. 0073, where it is inherent in Bluetooth communication using eSCO to comprise a baseband processor and host controller);
wherein the host is to provide first data to the controller, and the controller is to: generate a first packet comprising the first data for the at least one transceiver to transmit in a first communication interval; (see fig. 11 and par. F0081-0082, where first data M is generated and sent to slave at eSCO instant communication interval) and generate a second packet comprising the first data for the at least one transceiver to transmit in a second communication interval" (see fig. 11 and par. 0081-0083, where four slots after the second slot are reserved for retransmissions of packets that did not go through. These four slots form ReTx windows. Here again, the communication interval can be equated to the eSCO instant and the second interval can be equated to retransmission window of the first data). Examiner suggests defining the communication window to include both the eSCO instant and the retransmission windows prior to the gap, eliminating this interpretation.
Regarding Claim 12 Dural teaches the limitations “The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the at least one transceiver is to communicate information of another communication protocol during an inter-window gap between the first communication interval and the second communication interval” (see fig. 11 and par. 0082 and 0084, where “The following six slots may be available for LTE measurements and are referred to herein as a measurement window.”).
Regarding Claim 13 Dural teaches the limitations "The wireless device of claim 12, wherein the wireless device, when the another communication protocol is active, is to negotiate, with a second wireless device, parameters of the first communication protocol, the parameters comprising at least one of repeated data communication in a plurality of communication intervals and a width of the inter-window gap that exceeds a width of a communication interval" (see fig. 11, where the retransmission window (ReTx) is used when first packet M is not received by slave due to interference from another active communication (i.e. LTE or another), here the claimed communication interval can be equated to a single slot, or the eSCO instant (M and S), or the ReTx window, where the inter-window gap (1108) is larger than either of those communication intervals).
Regarding Claim 15 Dural teaches the limitations "The wireless device of claim 11, wherein the controller is to generate the second packet further comprising second data, the first data and the second data having a common width" (see fig. 11, where the Bluetooth controller sends second packet (i.e. second M packet at second eSCO instant comprising second data).
Regarding Claim 16 Dural teaches the limitations "The wireless device of claim 15, wherein the controller is to buffer, in a memory of the wireless device, the first data for generation of the second packet" (see par. 0120 where “After a period of inactivity, the station wakes up to see if its access point has any frames buffered for it. The periodicity of wake up by the WLAN radio is agreed upon between the access point and the WLAN radio. If the station has uplink traffic it will come out of the power save mode. The station may also come out of the power save mode if there is any downlink data buffered for it at the access point. In this case, the access point wakes up the station.”).
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 of this title, 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 1-4, 8-10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dural et al. (US 2015/0296468 A1) in view of Applicant’s submitted prior art NPL titled Part 3-Bluetooth Logical Transports, hereinafter Bluetooth.
Regarding Claim 1 Dural teaches the limitations "A method comprising: initiating
when another wireless communication is active within the wireless environment, negotiating, with the second device, parameters of the
a width of an inter-window gap that exceeds a width of a communication interval; and (see fig. 11, here the claimed communication interval can be equated to a single slot, or the eSCO instant (M and S), or the ReTx window, where the inter-window gap (1108) is larger than either of those communication intervals);
sending first data in a first communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals and, (see fig. 11 and par. 0082, where M data is sent first);
after the inter-window gap, sending at least second data in a second communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals" (see fig. 11 where second data is sent at second eSCO instant after gap at 1108). Examiner suggests defining the communication window to include both the eSCO instant and the retransmission windows prior to the gap, eliminating this interpretation.
However, Dural does not explicitly disclose that the communication is ”hands-free” communication but does show the use of enhanced synchronous connection-oriented (eSCO) protocol for voice data. The Bluetooth communication windows may be referred to as eSCO windows (see par. 0073 and fig. 9).
In the same field of endeavor Bluetooth discloses that the eSCO instants and retransmission windows are used under hands-free use scenarios along with gaps (i.e. unreserved slots between each eSCO window (see par. Under “hands-free” and fig. 8.7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide hands-free communication as taught by Bluetooth in the system of Dural with increased gap windows, in order to improve voice quality (see Bluetooth under Hands Free paragraph).
Claims 9 and 17 are rejected for the same reasons set forth above because the claims have similar limitations or have been addressed.
Regarding Claim 2 Dural teaches the limitations "The method of claim 1, further comprising sending information of the another wireless communication during the inter-window gap" (see fig. 11 and par. 0082 and 0084, where “The following six slots may be available for LTE measurements and are referred to herein as a measurement window.”).
Regarding Claim 3 Dural teaches the limitations "The method of claim 2, further comprising: sending, via a transceiver of the first device, the first data in the first communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals; (see fig. 11, where Master sends M data at first eSCO instant 1100) and during the inter-window gap, sending, via the transceiver of the first device, the information of the another wireless communication" (see fig. 11 and par. 0082 and 0084, where “ during a first measurement window 1108 of a first eSCO window 1110, the second receive chain tunes away to a LTE frequency and captures LTE data).
Regarding Claim 4 Dural teaches the limitations "The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the first data in the second communication interval" (see fig. 11, where equating communication interval to a slot or and M and S window, then the retransmission window ReTX sends first data again in a second communication interval).
Regarding Claim 8 Dural teaches the limitations "The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, in a reserved window of the first communication interval, a first packet comprising the first data; and in response to an indication from the second device that indicates that the second device did not successfully receive the first packet, sending, in a retransmission window of the first communication interval, the first packet comprising the first data" (see fig. 11 and par. 0082, “each eSCO window 1102 includes twelve Bluetooth slots 1106. The duration of each slot is 625 μs. The first slot is for master to slave transmissions, while the second slot is slave to master transmissions. The first slot and the second slot form an eSCO instant. The four slots after the second slot are reserved for retransmissions of packets that did not go through.”).
Regarding Claim 10 Dural teaches the limitations "The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the another wireless communication is inactive within the wireless environment, negotiating, with the second device, the parameters of the hands-free communication, (see fig. 11 and par. 0081-0084 showing other wireless communication activity during gap window);
the parameters comprising the width of the inter-window gap that is less than the width of the communication interval" (see fig. 9 where on second and third eSCO instants there is no gap between eSCO windows (i.e. the width of capture window is less than communication interval).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dural et al. (US 2015/0296468 A1) in view of Kumar et al. (US 2022/0392460 A1).
Regarding Claim 14 Dural teaches the wireless device of claim 11, but does not explicitly teach “the controller is to generate the first packet further comprising padding data.”
In the same field of endeavor Kumar teaches a system for enabling stereo content for voice calls on hands-free communication, where the generated packet includes a padding packet (see abstract and par. 0070 and fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to comprise padding data in a first transmission packet as taught by Kumar in the system of Dural with increased gap windows, in order to reduce processing for excess payload (see par. 0070 of Kumar).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-7 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for objection: A search was conducted with regard to applicant's claims defining:
Claim 5 “The method of claim 1, further comprising: sending, in the first communication interval, a first packet comprising the first data; and sending, in the second communication interval, a second packet comprising the first data and the second data.”
Claim 18 “The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: sending, via a transceiver of the first wireless device, the first data in the first communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals; during the inter-window gap, sending, via the transceiver of the first wireless device, information of the another wireless communication; and sending, via the transceiver of the first wireless device, the first data and second data in the second communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals.”
Claim 20 “The non-transitory storage medium of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises: sending a first packet comprising the first data and padding data in a first packet during the first communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals; and after the inter-window gap, sending a second packet comprising the first data and second data during the second communication interval of the plurality of communication intervals.” Here Dural and the prior art show retransmission of first data during retransmission window (see Dural fig. 11) but does not teach sending, in the second communication interval, a second packet comprising the first data and the second data. In other words, Dural does not teach retransmitting the first data after the inter-window gap (i.e. after eSCO instant and retransmission window) along with second data.
Furthermore, claims 5-7 and 18-20 would not be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art considering the prior art on record and therefore involve an inventive step. When incorporating all the limitations in combination, none of the prior art discloses the features as claimed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID BILODEAU whose telephone number is (571)270-3192. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6:00am-4:00pm Eastern Standard Time. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/David Bilodeau/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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