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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMIVHSSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313-1450
`wwwusptogov
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`
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`15/063,447
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`03/07/2016
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`NAGANORI SHIRAKATA
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`731156527
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`9098
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`Seed IP Law Group LLPflDanasonic
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
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`ROSE, DERRICK V
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`PAPER NUIVIBER
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`ART UNIT
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`2462
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`11/17/2017
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`patentinfo @ seedip.c0m
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 15/063,447 SHIRAKATA ET AL.
`
`
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Art Unit
`Examiner
`Office Action Summary
`
`
`DERRICK v. ROSE $2213 2462
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
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`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s )filed on1-_11.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|ZI This action is non-final.
`2a)|:l This action is FINAL.
`3)|:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IZI Claim(s) 1-11 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6)|:I Claim(s)
`7)|Z| Claim(s)_1-11 is/are rejected.
`8)|:I Claim(s)_ is/are objected to.
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)|:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`hit z/thvvvtlsnto. ovI’ atents/init events/
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`iindex.‘s or send an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
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`Application Papers
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`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Xl The drawing(s) filed on 3-7-2016 is/are: a)IXl accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12)I:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)I:l All
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`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
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`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) E InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20171025
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor
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`to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC§ 103
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`In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and
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`103 (or as subject to pre—AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory
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`basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon,
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`and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections
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`set forth in this Office action:
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`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.
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`This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the
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`examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is
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`advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of
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`each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in
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`order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35
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`U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`Claim 1 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rensburg et al (US
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`20100127931) in view of Shen et al (US 20160197709).
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`As to claims 1 and 11 Rensburg discloses a radio communication device and method comprising: a
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`plurality of directional communicating circuitry which, in operation, each become connected to one
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`or more radio terminals through beam forming and perform radio communication (Rensburg
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`fl0010- last sentence- controller, $100324St sentence, fl0033- 1St and 2nd1 sentence) ; and
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`coordinating circuitry which, in operation, performs controlling of the beam forming of each of the
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`plurality of directional communicating circuitry (Rensberg fl0010- controller) in accordance with
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`connection information on the connected one or more radio terminals and interference information
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`on interference among the plurality of directional communicating circuitry (Rensberg Fig.3, $10058—
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`2nd and 3rd sentences— CQIfor t/ye UEJ), wherein the connection information includes information
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`on the connected one or more radio terminals and information on a beam pattern used for
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`communication with the connected one or more radio terminals and is acquired by the coordinator,
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`the interference information includes information that, for each of combinations of a plurality of
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`beam patterns among the plurality of directional communicating circuitry, indicates whether or not
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`communication interference occurs in the combination (Rensburg fl0009- last sentence).
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`Rensburg is silent however with regard to a ‘space time’ coordinating circuitry or controller for
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`controlling of the beam forming. However in an analogous art Shen remedies this deficiency: (Shen
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`fl0058-0060- space amt time maltgb/exz'flg ofdelta szgm/s). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of
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`ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine the teachings of Rensberg
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`with that of Shen for the purpose of applying beamforming for transmission of multiple data signals
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`as desired which is known in the art (Shen $10075).
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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`Claim 2—10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rensburg in view of Shen
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`and further in view of Lim et al (US 20050195822).
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`As to claim 2 the combined teachings of Rensburg and Shen disclose the radio communication
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`device according to claim 1 however silent wherein
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`in accordance with the connection information, the space time coordinating circuitry further causes
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`data transfer between each of another communication layer to which the radio communication
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`device is connected and the plurality of directional communicating circuitry. However in an
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`analogues art Lime remedies this deficiency: (Lim fil0016, fil0017- last sentences— data transmission
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`betwem MAC— bag/9 dfld [0w layers).
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`Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention
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`was filed to combine the teachings of Lim with the already combined teachings of Rensberg and
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`Shen for the purpose of providing a MAC protocol structure for packet communication in a wireless
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`communication system as desired which is known in the art (Lim fl0017- 1St sentence).
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`As to claim 3 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of beam patterns include beam
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`patterns different in beam direction (Rensburg Fig.1).
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`As to claim 4 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 3, wherein in a case that a combination of desired beam
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`patterns that causes no communication interference is present among the combinations of the
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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`plurality of beam patterns, the space time coordinating circuitry selects the combination of the
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`desired beam patterns, and
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`in a case that a combination of undesired beam patterns that causes communication interference is
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`present among the combinations of the plurality of beam patterns, the space time coordinating
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`circuitry selects a combination of beam patterns other than the combination of the undesired beam
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`patterns (Rensburg fil0013).
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`As to claims 5 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 3, wherein adjacent communication areas of the respective
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`directional communicators overlap each other at least partially (Shen, Fig.1 and Fig.3)
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`As to claim 6 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 3, wherein the space time coordinating circuitry further
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`acquires quality information that indicates one or more of reception quality of a radio signal
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`transmitted from each of the plurality of directional communicating circuitry at each of the one or
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`more radio terminals in each of the plurality of beam patterns (Rensberg Fig.3, fil0058— 2nd and 3rd
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`sentences— CQI), and reception quality of a radio signal transmitted from each of the connected one
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`or more radio terminals at each of the plurality of directional communicating circuitry in each of the
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`plurality of beam patterns, and the space time coordinating circuitry detects the interference
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`information from the acquired quality information (Rensberg fl0009- last sentence).
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`As to claim 7 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of directional
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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`communicating circuitry acquires the quality information in beam forming training for the one or
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`more radio terminals(Rensberg Fig.3, fil0058— 2nd and 3rd sentences— CQI) , and
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`the space time coordinating circuitry performs the scheduling of the beam forming or the data
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`transfer using the information on each of the connected directional communicating circuitry, the
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`information on the beam pattern used for communication with the connected one or more radio
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`terminals, identification information on each of the one or more radio terminals, and information on
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`the reception quality regarding the beam pattern not used for communication with the connected
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`one or more radio terminals (Rensberg fil0083- 15t and 2ndl sentence).
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`As to claim 8 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 6, wherein the space time coordinating circuitry switches
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`the beam pattern of each of the plurality of directional communicating circuitry in accordance with
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`the quality information and changes a connection destination of the one or more radio terminals
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`connected to first directional communicating circuitry included in the plurality of directional
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`communicating circuitry to second directional communicating circuitry included in the plurality of
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`directional communicating circuitry (Rensberg fil0091, fil0097).
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`As to claim 9 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 6, wherein
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`the space time coordinating circuitry switches the beam pattern of each of the plurality of directional
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`communicating circuitry in accordance with the interference information and changes a connection
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`destination of the one or more radio terminals connected to first directional communicating circuitry
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`Application/Control Number: 15/063,447
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2462
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`included in the plurality of directional communicating circuitry to second directional communicating
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`circuitry included in the plurality of directional communicating circuitry (Rensberg filOlOl, fil0107).
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`As to claim 10 the combined teachings of Rensburg, Shen and Lim disclose the radio
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`communication device according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of directional
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`communicating circuitry includes:
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`physical layer processing circuitry which, in operation, performs the beam forming (Lim $10068-
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`adding a MAC beadezj; and low—level medium access control (MAC) layer processing circuitry
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`which, in operation, performs transmission and reception of data with the one or more radio
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`terminals using the physical layer processing circuitry, the other communication layer includes
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`controlling circuitry which, in operation, performs a process of a high—level MAC layer, and the
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`space time coordinating circuitry performs transfer of data between the controlling circuitry and the
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`low—level MAC layer processing circuitry, the transferred data being transmitted to or from the one
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`or more radio terminals (Lim fil0070- 15t sentence).
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
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`should be directed to DERRICK V. ROSE whose telephone number is (571)270—7460. The
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`examiner can normally be reached on Monday — Friday 8:30— 5:00.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in—person, and video conferencing using a
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`USPTO supplied web—based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to
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`use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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