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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/183,280
`
`11/07/2018
`
`TOMOYA NUNOME
`
`731456.483C1
`
`8539
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`CHOWDHURY, MAHBUBUL BAR
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2472
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/10/2021
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-4,6-11 and 13-15 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`Cj] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-4,6-11 and 13-15 is/are rejected.
`S)
`) © Claim(s)____is/are objected to.
`Cj) Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`S)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
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`) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)() 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).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)1) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.2 Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`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.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20211104
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/183,280
`NUNOME etal.
`
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`
`MAHBUBUL B CHOWDHURY__|2472 Yes
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom 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) MONTHSfrom 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, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 07 October 2021.
`C) A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\0) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
`
`A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set
`
`forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this
`
`application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee
`
`set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office
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`action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission
`
`filed on 10/07/2021 has been entered.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`The amendmentfiled on 10/07/2021 has been entered. Claims 1-4, 6-11, and 13-
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`14 are amended, claims 5 and 12 are canceled, and claim 15 is new. Claims 1-4, 6-
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`11, and 13-15 are pending and addressed below.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 3
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
`
`(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and
`of the manner and process of making and using it, in suchfull, clear, concise, and exact terms as to
`enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with whichit is most nearly connected, to
`makeand use the same,and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint
`inventor of carrying out the invention.
`
`The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 112:
`
`The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and
`process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person
`skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with whichit is most nearly connected, to make and use the
`same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
`
`Claims 1-4, 6-11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C.
`
`112 (pre-AlA), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description
`
`requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the
`
`specification in such a way as to reasonably conveyto one skilled in the relevant
`
`art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AlA
`
`35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had
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`possession of the claimed invention.
`
`Regarding claims 1, 8 and 15, expression “spatial reuse parameter” is not
`
`described in the specification. A person of ordinaryskills in the art will not be able
`
`to determine spatial reuse parameter from the specification.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
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`Page 4
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`Claims 2-4, 6-7, 9-11 and 13-14 are subjected to the same rejection, for
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`being dependenton claims 1, 8 or 15.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`Claims 1-4, 6-11 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being
`
`unpatentable over Wang James June-Ming et al (US 20160174079), hereinafter
`
`Wang,in view of NPL (IEEE 802.11-16/0415r1, IEEE 802.11 TGax, March 2016
`
`Macau Meeting Minutes), hereinafter NPL, and further in view of Hart Brian D. et
`
`all (US 20170135131), hereinafter Hart.
`
`Regarding claims 1, 8 and 15, Wang teaches,a first wireless station (Mang:
`
`Fig, 4, STAB} / a communication method for a first wireless station that belongs to
`
`og communication cell, the first wireless station comprising:
`
`a receiver (Wang: Fig. 2, Transceiver) which, in operation, receives a trigger frame
`
`transmitted fram an access paint that belongs to an interference cell (Wang: Fig.
`
`4, STA3: (0034), (0054), teaching wireless station STAS in BSS2 receiving a
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`trigger frame, from frame exchanges in a different BSS1 Le. an interference cell
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`from an access point STAL. Trigger frame is interpreted by the Examiner as a
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`frame that carries information to a wireless station far it to decide on
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`transmission), and
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
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`Page 5
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`a controller (Wang: Fig. 2, CTL/CONFIG, Power CTL) which, in operation,
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`determines, based on a spatial reuse parameter and a reception power value of
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`the trigger frame received at the first wireless station, whether the first wireless
`
`station is alowed to transmit a signal to a second wireless station that belongs to
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`the communication cell, wherein the spatial reuse parameter is set based on an
`
`access point transmit power of the access point and based on the target RSS!
`
`iWang: (00261, (00341, teaching STA1 is an access point in the interferencecell,
`
`STA3 (first wireless station) in the communication cell determines whether to
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`transmit to STA4 (second wireless station) in the communication cell, based on
`
`the transmission power of STA1 and a target RSSI (“RSSI (by STA1 from STA2)”)
`
`received in the frame, and the measured reception power (“RSSI (by STA3 from
`
`STA1)”) of STA1. Parameters in the frame are STA1’s transmit power level (TX-
`
`PWR) and “RSSI (by STA1 from STA2)”, which is used as target RSSI by STA3
`
`during determination. Spatial reuse parameter is interpreted as parameters
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`used in spatial reuse determination and Wangin Abstract teaches that Wang’s
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`methodis related to spatial reuse case.).
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`Wang does not expressly teach, the trigger frame soliciting-es uplink
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`response signals from a plurality of terminal stations belonging to the interference
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
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`Page 6
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`cell and including a target RSS! (received signal strength indicator) that is a target
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`reception power value of the uplink response signals at the access point.
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`However, in the sare fleld of endeavor, NPL teaches, the trigger frame
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`soliciting-2e uplink response signals from a plurality of terminal stations belonging
`
`to the interference cell and including a target RSS! {received signal strength
`
`indicator) that is a target reception power value of the uplink response signals at
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`the decess point (NPL: Page 23, Ch. 5.4.6, teaching that trigger fame schedules UL
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`MU Le.an UL response from schedule STAs, and trigger frame carries AP Tx
`
`Power and target RSS] te be used by the scheduled UL STAs response}.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinaryskill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang’s method/station to
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`include that the trigger frarne soliciting an uplink response frame from multiple
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`wireless stations belonging to the interference ceil and including a target received
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`signal strength indicator (RSS!) that is a target reception power value, at the
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`access point, of the uplink response frarne from the stations.
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`This would have been obvious because it would motivate one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art to provide a power control mechanism to achieve uplink multi-user
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`(UL MU) transmission (NPL: Ch. 5.4.6 lines 1-2).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 7
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`Wang and NPL do not expressly teach, a transmitter which, in operation,
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`transmits the signal while the plurality of terminal stations transmit the uplink
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`responsesignals by MU (Multi User) multiplexing.
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`However, in the same fleid of endeavor, Hart teaches, a transmitter (Hart:
`
`Fig. 8, TRANSMITTER) which, in operation, transmits the signal while the plurality
`
`ofterminal stations transmit the uplink response signals by MU (Multi User}
`
`multiplexing (Mart: (131, [16], [47]-[54], teaching stations C determines
`
`transmission to station 0 in a communication cell in spatial reuse case, while
`
`station A and multiple stations B are performing UL-MU-MIMO (Le. uplink MU
`
`multiplexing) transmission}.
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinaryskill in the art before the
`
`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and NPL’s
`
`method/station to include a transmitter which, in operation, transmits the signal
`
`while the plurality of terminal stations transmit the uplink response signals by MU
`
`(Multi User) multiplexing.
`
`This would have been obvious because it would motivate one of ordinary
`
`skill in the art to provide a Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) technique which
`
`protects reception in a receiver (Hart: [12]).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 8
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`Regarding claim 15, Wang, NPL and Hart’s teachings, as outlined above for
`
`“a communication method for a first wireless station”, further applies to “a
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`communication method for a wireless network”.
`
`Regarding claims 2 and 9, Wang,in view of NPL and Hart, teachesthe first
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`wireless station/method, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
`
`Wang further teaches, wherein an estimated reception powervalueof the signal
`
`received at the access point is calculated based on the access point transmit
`
`power and the reception power value when the signalis transmitted from thefirst
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`wireless station to the access point (Wang: (0034) “Pathioss (STAL-3)<TH-
`
`PVRSTAI-RSSI (by STA3 from STALL)... TPCi-pathioss(STAL-3i<RSSi (by STAT
`
`from STAZ}-Fixed Margin:”}, and
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`whetherthefirst wireless station is allowedto transmit to the ##ite second
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`wireless station is determined based on whetherthe estimated reception power
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`value exceeds an acceptable receiver interference power(Wang: (0034) “Once
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`pathioss is determined, STAS can then determine Ks own TX power level (TPC)
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`based on the following equations, and STAS should select the lower TX power
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`level between TPCL and TPC2 such that STAS would not cause interference to
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`both STAL and STAZ."}.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 9
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`Regarding claims 3 and 10, Wang,in view of NPL and Hart, teachesthe first
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`wireless station/method, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
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`Wang further teaches, where: the transmitter, in operation, transmits the
`
`signal to the second wireless station, in response to the controller having, in a
`
`transmission buffer, data to be transmitted from the first wireless station to the
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`second wireless station and determining that the first wireless station is allowed
`
`to transmit the signal to the second wireless station (Wang: Fig. 3: 10033] °
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`Finally, instep 334, STA3S gains a spatial re-use TXHOP and starts frame exchange
`
`with STA4.”, teaching when allowed to transmit, the wireless station transmits
`
`frames to the other wireless station}.
`
`Regarding claims 4 and 11, Wang,in view of NPL and Hart, teachesthe first
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`wireless station/method, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
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`Wang further teaches, wherein when the contrailer allows the first wireless
`
`station fo transmit to the second wireless station, the controller sets a period
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`during which the first wireless station is allowed to transmit to the second wireless
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`station (Wang: Fig. 8 “SPATIAL REUSE DURATION”, [0051], teaching STAS (first
`
`station) transmits to STA4 (second station) during a defined duration).
`
`Regarding claims 6 and 13, Wang,in view of NPL and Hart, teachesthe first
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`wireless station/method, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 10
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`Wang further teaches, wherein the controller, in operation, determines,
`
`based on an acceptable receiver interference power at the plurality of terminal
`
`stations that belang to the interference cell, whether the first wireless stationis
`
`alowed to transmit the signal to the second wireless station (Mang: [0034],
`
`(00361, teaching STAS (first station} transmits to STA4 isecand station} based on
`
`an acceptable receiver interference power at STAI and STA2 (stations in the
`
`interference cell},
`
`Regarding claims 7 and 14, Wang,in view of NPL and Hart, teachesthe first
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`wireless station/method, as outlined in the rejection of claims 1 and 8.
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`Wang further teaches, wherein the controller, in operation, adjusts transmit
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`powerof thefirst wireless station to transmit the signal to the second wireless
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`station Aang: Fig. 4, STA3; [00234] “In the embodimentof FIG. 4, STA1 and STA2
`
`have ongoing frame exchangein BSS1, and STA3 applies TPC to ensure that any
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`spatial re-use frame exchange in BSS2 will not causing interference to STA1 and
`
`to STA2.”, teaching wireless station performs TPC (Transmission Power Control)
`
`i.e. adjusting transmit power).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 11
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`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant's arguments filed on 10/07/2021, with respect to the rejection of claims
`
`1 and 8 under USC 102, have been fully considered are moot upon a further
`
`consideration and a new ground of rejection under USC 103, as set forth above.
`
`Applicant’s amendmentto the claims has necessitated the new ground of
`
`rejection presented in this office action.
`
`Conclusion
`
`The prior art made of record and notrelied upon is considered pertinent to
`
`applicant's disclosure.
`
`Yang, US 20170223563 - DYNAMIC CCA SCHEME WITH INTERFACE
`
`CONTROL FOR 802.11 HEW STANDARD AND SYSTEM.
`
`Seok, US 20160249366 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PREVENTING
`
`INTERFERENCE IN OVERLAPPING SERVICE AREA.
`
`Ko, US 20190021091, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION METHOD AND
`
`WIRELESS COMMUNICATION TERMINAL IN BASIC SERVICE SET OVERLAPPING
`
`WITH ANOTHER BASIC SERVICE SET.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 12
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`Lim, US 20160286499, METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING
`
`INTERFERENCE CONTROL SIGNALS BASED ON POWER INFORMATION, AND
`
`APPARATUS THEREFOR.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to MAHBUBUL BAR CHOWDHURYwhose telephone
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`Application/Control Number: 16/183,280
`Art Unit: 4142
`
`Page 13
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`/MAHBUBUL BAR CHOWDHURY/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2472
`
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