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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 03/26/2025, 07/22/2025, and 04/08/2026 have been considered and made of record by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 21, 22, and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Merlin (US 2021/0250205).
As to claim 21, Merlin discloses a first access point (see Fig. 6A, AP 602) comprising: circuitry (see Fig. 6A, AP 602) configured to: determine a configuration for a sounding procedure to be performed with one or more stations (see Fig. 8A, block 812, and paragraphs 0096-0097); subsequent to an announcement that indicates parameters for the sounding procedure (see Fig. 8A, block 812, and paragraphs 0096-0097, NDPA is the announcement), transmit a training data unit (see Fig. 8A, block 822) configured to enable the first access point to obtain one or more channel measurement associated with a channel between the first access point and the one or more stations (see paragraph 0096); and receive a measurement report containing channel state information (see the abstract, paragraphs 0007, and 0041 and see Figs. 7A and 9).
As to claim 22, Merlin discloses that the training data unit is a null data packet (NDP) that does not contain a data field (see Fig. 8A, block 822 and NDP 820).
As to claim 25, Merlin discloses that the circuitry is configured to transmit the training data unit a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) duration after the announcement (see Fig. 8A, SIF).
(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.
Claim 31 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vermani et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Vermani) (US 2019/0045366).
As to claim 31, Vermani discloses a second access point (see Fig. 6B, Master AP) comprising: circuitry (see Fig. 2, AP 110) configured to facilitate a sounding procedure involving a first access point (see Fig. 6B, Slave AP), the sounding procedure being associated with an announcement (see Fig. 6B, NDPA associated with Master AP and paragraphs 0074-0076 and 0082-0084); transmit, subsequent to a transmission of a training data unit by the first access point (see Fig. 6B, NDP of the Slave AP and paragraph 0064), a trigger to one or more stations associated with the second access point (see Fig. 6B the optional trigger frame placed on the right hand side of the NDP of the Master AP) to request a measurement report (see paragraph 0083), the training data unit being configured to enable an access point to obtain one or more channel measurement associated with a channel between the first access point and the one or more stations (see paragraph 0064); and receive the measurement report from the one or more stations associated with the second access point, the measurement report including the one or more channel measurement (see paragraphs 0064 and 0083 and Fig. 6B, the feedbacks from the STAs).
As to claim 38, Vermani discloses that the sounding procedure is a sequential sounding procedure comprising a transmission from the first access point (see Fig. 6B, the NDPA and NDP of the Slave AP) followed by the trigger from the second access point (see Fig. 6B, see the trigger of the Master AP).
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 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Seok (US 2014/0086200).
As to claim 23, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 23, except that the announcement indicates bandwidth information utilized for the transmission of the training data unit. Seok, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that in a communication system the number of NDP frames and bandwidth information are transferred to the station through the NDPA announcement frame (see paragraph 0211). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Seok, in order to improve the bandwidth efficiency in the communication system.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Seok et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Seok) (US 2012/0230443).
As to claim 26, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 26, except that signaling information within the training data unit or the announcement comprises identifiers corresponding to the one or more stations. Seok, in the same field of endeavor, discloses address of a source station and the address of a destination station for an NDP is indicated by a Source Address (SA) and the Destination Address (DA) of an NDP announcement frame (see paragraph 0067). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Soek, in order to increase communication efficiency in the communication system.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Moon et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Moon) (US 2016/0330732).
As to claim 27, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 27, except that the configuration for the sounding procedure comprises a resource unit allocation for the one or more stations. Moon, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that in a communication system NDPA frame (in reference Merlin NDPA carriers the configuration for the sounding procedure) may indicate resource allocation information for the stations (see paragraph 0148). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Moon, in order to improve the bandwidth efficiency and increase the performance of the system.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Park et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Park) (US 2014/0301240).
As to claim 28, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 28, except that the measurement report comprises compressed beamforming feedback. Park, in the same field of endeavor, discloses the measurement report (i.e., the channel state information) comprises compressed beamforming feedback (see the abstract and paragraph 0013). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention was made, to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Park, in order to lower feedback overhead.
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Zheng et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Zheng) (US 2019/0335417).
As to claim 29, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 29, except that the circuitry is configured to utilize the channel state information to determine a steering matrix for a subsequent multi-user transmission. Zheng, in the same field of endeavor, discloses the communication system is configured to utilize the channel state information to determine a steering matrix for a subsequent multi-user transmission (see paragraphs 0045 and 0047). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Zheng, in order to increase the efficiency and performance of the beamforming process.
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merlin, in view of Chen et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Chen) (US 2020/0007283).
As to claim 30, Merlin discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 30, except that the training data unit comprises one or more Extremely High Throughput (EHT) training fields. Chen, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that the NDP (training data unit) includes one or more EHT training fields (see claim 17). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Merlin, as suggested by Chen, in order to enable the receiver to estimate the channel more accurately.
Claim 32 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermani, in view of Moon.
As to claim 32, Vermani discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 32, except that the trigger comprises a resource unit allocation for the one or more stations associated with the second access point. Moon, in the same field of endeavor, discloses the trigger comprises a resource unit allocation for the one or more stations associated with the second access point (see paragraph 0135). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Vermani, as suggested by Moon, in order to increase the performance of the communication system by reducing interference due to better communicating the scheduling information.
Claim 33 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermani, in view of Verma et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Verma) (US 2019/0261369).
As to claim 33, Vermani discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 33, except that the measurement report is received in a trigger-based physical protocol data unit (TB PPDU). Verma, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that CSI feedback information may be communicated by the wireless communication device using a TB PPDU (see paragraph 0147). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made, to modify the teachings Vermani, as suggested by Verma, in order to increase the beamforming performance and reduce the amount of time that CSI can be collected from all the stations.
Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermani, in view of Chun et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Chun) (US 2018/0138959).
As to claim 34, Vermani discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 34, except that the circuitry is configured to transmit the trigger a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) duration after the transmission of the training data unit. Chun, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that the communication system is configured to transmit the trigger a Short Interframe Space (SIFS) duration after the transmission of the training data unit (i.e., the NDP) (see Fig. 29). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Vermani, as suggested by Chun, in order to maintain the channel access until both NDP and trigger are transmitted.
Claim 36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermani, in view of Park et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Park) (US 2020/0127759).
As to claim 36, Vermani discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 36, except that the measurement report comprises at least one of a channel norm or a channel phase. Park, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that the measurement report (i.e., the CSI) comprises at least one of a channel norm or a channel phase (see paragraph 0046). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Vermani, as suggested by Park, in order to determine the channel information more accurately.
Claim 39 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vermani, in view of Seok et al. (hereinafter, referred to as Seok) (US 2012/0230443).
As to claim 39, Vermani discloses all the subject matters claimed in claim 39, except that the announcement comprises a station info field containing an identifier for the second access point. Seok, in the same field of endeavor, discloses that the announcement comprises a station info field containing an identifier for the second access point (see paragraph 0067). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the teachings of Vermani, as suggested by Soek, in order to increase communication efficiency in the communication system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24, 35, 37, and 40 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LEILA MALEK whose telephone number is (571)272-8731. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm.
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LEILA . MALEK
Examiner
Art Unit 2632
/LEILA MALEK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632
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