DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on November 13, 2023.
Claims 1-12 are pending in this application.
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 Objections
Claims 2 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2: Please change “… the number of sounding dimension” in the first sentence to “… the number of sounding dimensions”
Claim 12: Please change “… number of sounding dimension…” in the 10th sentence to “… number of sounding dimensions”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the at least one field is set to shorten a time for receiving a useless part within the sounding feedback, for reducing the sounding overhead.” It is unclear how a field can be “set” to shorten a time as claimed. It is also unclear how to determine the scope of the claimed “useless part”. It is unclear how to determine what is useless or not within the sounding feedback. As a result, the scope of the limitation is unclear.
Claim 1 additionally recites “transmitting a first frame regarding TB-sounding as well as a trigger frame”. It is unclear from the scope whether the claim requires transmits both a first frame and a trigger frame, or that the first frame “regards” a trigger frame. Please clarify.
Claim 12 contains similar limitations to claim 1 and is rejected under the same rationale.
Claims 2-11 inherit the indefinite limitations through their dependency, as result, they are rejected under the same rationale as claim 1.
Claims 7, 8, and 9 additionally recite the limitation “in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback.” These limitations are additionally unclear as to how to determine or understand a part of a feedback frame to be useless.
Claim 8 recites “wherein: if the first communication behavior has a positive correlation with the first field, a first field value of the first field is minimized …” and “if the first communication behavior has a negative correlation with the first field, the first field value of the first field is maximized …”. It is unclear how communication behavior has positive or negative correlation to fields in feedback messages. More clarification is required to understand how or when to minimize or maximize the field. Additionally, the scope of the limitations of minimizing or maximizing a field is unclear. It appears from the specification that the field size is increased or decreased, but the claim indicates maximizing or minimizing the field itself and it’s unclear what the metes and bounds of a maximized or minimized fields in terms of field values or field size or other ways to construe the claim scope.
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 1, 3, 4, 7, 9, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al (US 2020/0153491, hereinafter “Yang”).
Regarding claim 1, Yang discloses a method for reducing sounding overhead by shortening trigger-based (TB) physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) duration (TB-PPDU duration) for trigger-based implicit feedback, wherein a non-access-point station (non-AP STA) device is wirelessly linking to an access point (AP) device, and a number of sounding dimension of the non-AP STA device is less than a maximum number of spatial streams of the AP device, the method comprising:
transmitting a first frame ([0116], wherein the AP transmits an NPDA frame containing one or more feedback reduction parameters to the STA) regarding TB-sounding as well as a trigger frame ([0081], wherein the AP transmits a trigger frame to multiple STAs), with at least one field of at least one frame among the first frame and the trigger frame being set to shorten the TB-PPDU duration ([0115], wherein the AP configures the NDPA frame to include at least one bit in an STA Info field to indicate a reduced CBF operation or a feedback reduction parameter); and
receiving a sounding feedback having the TB-PPDU duration to be the trigger-based implicit feedback ([0066], wherein the AP receives the feedback from the STA including the reduced CBF; [0078], wherein each PPDU includes a PHY preamble and a PSDU. The preamble is used to decode the data (CBF) in the PSDU. The reduced CBF decreases the size and duration of the PPDU), for use of generating a beamforming steering matrix ([0083], wherein the beamformer generates a steering matrix for each of the beamformees based on the feedback matrix) for transmission beamforming, wherein the at least one field is set to shorten a time for receiving a useless part within the sounding feedback, for reducing the sounding overhead ([0119], wherein the STA removes one or more column from the V average matrix thus reducing the number of bits transmitted to the AP as part of the feedback information).
Regarding claim 3, Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first frame is implemented as a null data PPDU (NDP) announcement (NDPA) ([0116], wherein the AP transmits an NPDA frame to the STA), and the at least one field comprises at least one subfield of at least one station information (STA Info) field within the NDPA ([0065], where in the AP includes CBF support indication as part of an extended STA Info field).
Regarding claim 4, Yang discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the at least one subfield of the at least one STA Info field within the NDPA comprises one or a combination of a partial bandwidth information (BW Info) subfield, a feedback type and number of subcarrier grouping (Ng) subfield, a codebook size subfield and a number of columns (Nc) subfield (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 7, Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein:
the at least one field is set to make at least one communication behavior indicated by the at least one field regarding the sounding feedback be minimized, in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback ([0194], wherein the feedback reduction parameter may include the reduction value, the averaging bandwidth, or both; [0064], wherein the STA configures one of more fields including a MIMO control field or a CBF report field associated with an action frame (for example a Compressed Beamforming and Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) frame), to indicate the reduced CBF to the AP).
Regarding claim 9, Yang discloses the method of claim 1, wherein:
a field value of any field [[0115] wherein the AP configures the NPDA frame to include at least one bit to indicate a reduced CBF operation) among the at least one field is set to make a communication behavior indicated by the any field correspond to a minimized value ([0119], wherein the STA improves processing and overhead for feedback signaling to the AP by reducing the number of bits transmitted to the AP as part of the feedback information), in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback.
Regarding claim 10, Yang discloses the method of claim 9, wherein:
if the any field represents a partial bandwidth information (BW Info) subfield of at least one STA information (STA Info) field within the first frame which is implemented as a null data PPDU (NDP) announcement (NDPA), and the first communication behavior represents a partial bandwidth indicated by the partial BW Info subfield, the field value of the any field is set to make the partial bandwidth be minimized, in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback;
if the any field represents a feedback type and number of subcarrier grouping (Ng) subfield of the at least one STA Info field within the first frame which is implemented as the NDPA, and the first communication behavior represents a subcarrier grouping result corresponding to a Ng indicated by a first predetermined bit in the feedback type and Ng subfield, the field value of the any field is set to make the Ng indicated by the first predetermined bit be maximized, for minimizing the subcarrier grouping result having a negative correlation with the Ng, in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback;
if the any field represents a codebook size subfield of the at least one STA Info field within the first frame which is implemented as the NDPA, and the first communication behavior represents a codebook size indicated by second predetermined bit in the codebook size subfield, the field value of the any field is set to make the codebook size be minimized, in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback; and
if the any field represents a number of columns (Ne) subfield of the at least one STA Info field within the first frame which is implemented as the NDPA, and the first communication behavior represents a Ne indicated by the Ne subfield, the field value of the any field is set to make the Ne be minimized, in order to shorten the time for receiving the useless part within the sounding feedback.
The BRI of claim 10 does not require any of the steps since they are all contingent. See MPEP §211.04(II). Since Yang teaches the any field ([0115], wherein one of the feedback reduction parameters is an Indicator bit configured in a Common Info field or an extended STA Info field of the NPDA frame; [0119] wherein the STA reduces the number of bits transmitted to the AP as part of the feedback information) can be a field outside of the 4 claimed fields, none of the steps are required.
Regarding claim 11, Yang discloses the method of claim 10, wherein:
if the any field represents the partial BW Info subfield, the partial bandwidth is equal to any bandwidth among a 20 MHz bandwidth (BW20) and a bandwidth of one resource unit (RU);
if the any field represents the feedback type and Ng subfield, Ng = 16;
if the any field represents the codebook size subfield, the codebook size expressed with quantization resolution (ϕ, ψ) = {7, 5}; and
if the any field represents the Nc subfield, Nc = 1.
The BRI of claim 11 does not require any of the steps since they are all contingent. See MPEP §211.04(II). Since Yang teaches the any field can be a field ([0114], wherein the any field is a reduction value for performing averaging bandwidth calculation; [0115] wherein the any field is the Indictor bit) outside of the 4 claimed fields, none of the steps are required.
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.
Claim 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Asterjadhi et al (US 2018/0205441 Al) hereinafter “Asterjadhi”).
Regarding claim 5, Yang discloses the method of claim 1.
However, Yang does not explicitly indicate wherein the trigger frame is implemented as a beamforming report poll (BFRP), and the at least one field comprises at least one subfield of at least one information (Info) field within the BFRP.
Asterjadhi discloses wherein the trigger frame is implemented as a beamforming report poll (BFRP), and the at least one field comprises at least one subfield of at least one information (Info) field within the BFRP ([0057], wherein a Beamforming Report Poll variant of the trigger frame is used for UL MU sounding; Fig. 4, wherein the trigger frame includes Common Info and User Info fields).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective date of the application to use Asterjadhi’s teaching of the BFRP trigger frame and its Info fields and set the Info subfields to some special values to enable multiple STAs to send reduced sounding feedback to the AP concurrently in time.
Regarding claim 6, Yang, as improved by Asterjadhi discloses the method of claim 5, further comprising:
wherein the at least one Info field comprises a common Info field and at least one user Info field (Asterjadhi Fig. 4 wherein the Common Info field is 410 and the User Info field is 412); and
the at least one subfield of the at least one Info field within the BFRP comprises one or a combination of an uplink (UL) length subfield of the common Info field, a guard interval (GI) and long training field (LTF) type subfield of the common Info field, an UL modulation and coding scheme (MCS) subfield of any user Info field among the at least one user Info field and a spatial streams (SS) allocation subfield of the any user Info field (Asterjadhi Fig. 4, wherein the Common Info field 410 includes the Length, GI and LTF Type subfields and the User Info field 412 includes the MCS and SS Allocation subfields);
The teaching of Asterjadhi is combined with Yang under the same rationale as claim 5.
Claim 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Bultan et al (US 9,755,712) hereinafter “Bultan”).
Regarding claim 2, Yang discloses the method of claim 1.
However, Yang does not disclose that the number of sounding dimensions of the non-AP STA device is less than or equal to a first predetermined value, and the maximum number of spatial streams of the AP device is greater than the first predetermined value, wherein the first predetermined value is greater than or equal to four.
Bultan discloses a system wherein the number of sounding dimensions on the STA is less than the number of spatial streams on the AP (Fig. 3D, wherein the STA has two transmit antennas and two receive antennas and the AP has eight transmit antennas and eight receive antennas. The number of spatial streams supported by the AP is eight. The number of sounding dimensions supported by the STA is two.)
When the number of AP spatial streams exceeds the number of STA sounding dimensions, the STA has to generate and compress a larger feedback matrix (eight rows corresponding to the AP’s eight spatial streams and two columns corresponding to the STA's two sounding dimensions) than the one wherein the number of AP spatial streams matches the number of STA sounding dimensions. (a feedback matrix with two rows and two columns). The larger the AP/STA capability mismatch is, the higher the sounding feedback overhead is.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective date of the application to replace the general AP/STA in Yang’s teaching with the specific 8x8 AP/2x2 STA in Bultan’s teaching to reduce sounding feedback overhead.
Regarding claim 12, Yang teaches an access point (AP) device, for reducing sounding overhead by shortening trigger-based (TB) physical layer (PHY) protocol data unit (PPDU) duration (TB-PPDU duration) for trigger-based implicit feedback, the AP device comprising:
a processing circuit (Figure 11, 1140)., arranged to control operations of the AP device; and
at least one communication control circuit (Figure 11, 1120 and 1125), coupled to the processing circuit, arranged to perform communication control, wherein the at least one communication control circuit is arranged to perform wireless communication operations with at least one other device within a wireless communication system for the AP device, wherein a non-access-point station (non-AP STA) device is wirelessly linking to the AP device, and a number of sounding dimension of the non-AP STA device is less than a maximum number of spatial streams of the AP device;
wherein:
the AP device is arranged to transmit a first frame ([0116], wherein the AP transmits an NPDA frame containing one or more feedback reduction parameters to the STA) regarding TB-sounding as well as a trigger frame ([0081], wherein the AP transmits a trigger frame to multiple STAs) , with at least one field of at least one frame among the first frame and the trigger frame being set to shorten the TB-PPDU duration ([0115], wherein the AP configures the NDPA frame to include at least one bit in an STA Info field to indicate a reduced CBF operation or a feedback reduction parameter); and
the AP device is arranged to receive a sounding feedback having the TB-PPDU duration ([0066], wherein the AP receives the feedback from the STA including the reduced CBF; [0078], wherein each PPDU includes a PHY preamble and a PSDU. The preamble is used to decode the data (CBF) in the PSDU. The reduced CBF decreases the size and duration of the PPDU) to be the trigger-based implicit feedback, for use of generating a beamforming steering matrix ([0083], wherein the beamformer generates a steering matrix for each of the beamformees based on the feedback matrix) for transmission beamforming, wherein the at least one field is set to shorten a time for receiving a useless part within the sounding feedback, for reducing the sounding overhead ([0119], wherein the STA removes one or more column from the V average matrix thus reducing the number of bits transmitted to the AP as part of the feedback information).
However, Yang does not disclose that the number of sounding dimensions of the non-AP STA device is less than or equal to a first predetermined value, and the maximum number of spatial streams of the AP device is greater than the first predetermined value, wherein the first predetermined value is greater than or equal to four.
Bultan discloses a system wherein the number of sounding dimensions on the STA is less than the number of spatial streams on the AP (Fig. 3D, wherein the STA has two transmit antennas and two receive antennas and the AP has eight transmit antennas and eight receive antennas. The number of spatial streams supported by the AP is eight. The number of sounding dimensions supported by the STA is two.)
When the number of AP spatial streams exceeds the number of STA sounding dimensions, the STA has to generate and compress a larger feedback matrix (eight rows corresponding to the AP’s eight spatial streams and two columns corresponding to the STA's two sounding dimensions) than the one wherein the number of AP spatial streams matches the number of STA sounding dimensions. (a feedback matrix with two rows and two columns). The larger the AP/STA capability mismatch is, the higher the sounding feedback overhead is.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effective date of the application to replace the general AP/STA in Yang’s teaching with the specific 8x8 AP/2x2 STA in Bultan’s teaching to reduce sounding feedback overhead.
Citation of Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vermani, S. (2024). Enhanced Sounding Packet Designs (U.S. Patent No. 12,177,154 B2). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Tian, S. (2025). Short Response Feedback (U.S. Pub No. US 2025/0300760 A1). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Lin, Z. (2024). Enhanced Channel Sounding Protocols for WLAN Systems (U.S. Pub No. US 2024/0275445 A1). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Chun, J. (2024). Method and Device for Performing Sounding Procedure in Wireless LAN System (U.S. Pub No. US 2024/0137144 A1). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Conclusion
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/S.N./
Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/KEVIN T BATES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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