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
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Patil et al. (2025/0113264).
Regarding claim 1, Patil discloses a first access point (AP) in a wireless network, (see abstract, fig.1, element 102, fig.5, element 102-d, fig.7, element 700, paragraphs [0014], [0018], [0020] and its description), comprising: a memory (see abstract, fig. 7, element 700, paragraphs [0006], [0020] and its description); and a processor coupled to the memory (see abstract, fig. 7, element 700, paragraphs [0006], [0020] and its description), the processor configured to: transmit, to a station (STA), a frame that includes an indication of whether a particular AP is a part of a seamless roaming domain and an identifier of the seamless roaming domain when the particular AP is a part of the seamless roaming domain (see abstract, figs.4-5, fig. 7, element 700, paragraphs [0003], [0017-0018], [0006-0007], [0020], [0032], [0042] and its description).
Regarding claim 2, Patil further discloses wherein the identifier is a media access control (MAC) address (see paragraphs [0035], [0073]).
Regarding claim 3, Patil further discloses wherein the particular AP is the first AP or a second AP (see abstract, fig.1, element 102, fig.5, element 102-d/102-e, fig.7, element 700, paragraphs [0014], [0018], [0020] and its description).
Regarding claim 4, Patil further discloses wherein the particular AP is a second AP, wherein the frame includes an indication that indicates if the first AP is a part of the same seamless roaming domain as the second AP (see abstract, fig.1, element 102, fig.5, element 102-d/102-e, fig.7, element 700, paragraphs [0003], [0014], [0018], [0020] and its description).
Regarding claim 5, Patil further discloses wherein the frame is a management frame (see abstract, fig.4, paragraphs [0002-0003], [0017], [0056-0057] and its description).
Regarding claim 6, Patil further discloses wherein the frame includes a reduced neighbor report (RNR) element that includes one or more of the indications of whether the particular AP is a part of the seamless roaming domain or when the particular AP is a part of the seamless roaming domain (see abstract, fig.5, paragraphs [0081-0082] and its description).
Regarding claim 7, Patil further discloses wherein the identifier of the seamless roaming domain is set to a basic service set (BSS) identifier (see abstract, fig.5, paragraphs [0002-0003], [0035] and its description).
Regarding claim 8, Patil further discloses wherein the seamless roaming domain provides seamless roaming between APs that are a part of the seamless roaming domain (see abstract, fig.5, paragraphs [0002-0003], [0032], [0043-0044], [0066-0069] and its description).
Regarding claim 9, Patil further discloses wherein the first AP and the particular AP are non-collocated (see abstract, fig.5, elements 102-d, 102-e, paragraphs [0002-0003], [0066-0069] and its description).
Regarding claim 10, Patil further discloses wherein the identifier of the seamless roaming domain is the same as an identifier for the first AP (see abstract, fig.5, elements 102-d, 102-e, paragraphs [0002-0003], [0035], [0066-0069] and its description).
Regarding claims 11-20 recite limitations substantially similar to claims 1-10. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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