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`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/294,330
`
`05/14/2021
`
`Rojan CHITRAKAR
`
`733456.641USPC
`
`5779
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`VAN, JENKEY
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2477
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/19/2024
`
`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)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/294,330
`CHITRAKAR etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`JENKEY VAN
`2477
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof 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 10/18/2024.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) 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)(2) 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.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`20-21,23-28 and 30-35 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`CL] Claim(s)__is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 20-21 ,23-28 and 30-35 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* 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.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`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)7) 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
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) 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)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20241114
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined
`
`underthe first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`Acknowledgement is made of amendmentfiled on 10/18/2024. The
`
`amendments of Applicant are entered and have been considered by Examiner. Claims
`
`20, 21, 23-28, 30-35 were previously pending. Claims 20, 21, 28 are amended. Claims
`
`20, 21, 23-28, 30-35 are currently pending.
`
`Responseto Arguments
`
`Applicant's argumentsfiled 10/18/2024 have been fully considered but they are
`
`not persuasive.
`
`Merlin (Figs. 7 and 9 and [0005], [0009], [0042], [0045], [0068]-[0070], [0085], [0098]-
`[0104], [0114]) describes "For example, a wireless device may establish a [block
`acknowledgement] BA agreement for the multiple links supported by the wireless device
`for multi-link aggregation (€.g., a multi-link BA session)." Merlin, [0005]. Merlin further
`describes"In other cases, a BA agreement maybe established on a per-link basis. For
`example, a BA agreement mayestablisha... traffic identifier (TID) for one or more
`indicated links." Id. (Emphasis added.)
`
`Thus, Merlin describes that, in some cases a wireless device establishes a BA
`agreement for multiple links, and in other cases a wireless device establishes a BA
`agreement on a per-link basis.
`
`As such, Merlin does not teach or suggest a multi-band transmitter device which, based
`on the multi-band Block Ack agreement,"receives onafirst frequency band a multi-band
`block ack frame indicating reception statuses of the plurality of MPDUs transmitted over
`the plurality of frequency bands" wherein "the receiver, in operation, additionally receives
`a per-bandblock ackframe indicating a reception status of one or more MPDUs among
`the plurality of MPDUs, the one or more MPDUsbeing transmitted on one frequency
`band amongthe plurality of frequency bands" as nowparticularly recited in claim 20, as
`amended. Claim 27 similarly recites a communication methodincluding the steps of
`"based on the multi-band Block Ack agreement, receiving onafirst frequency band a
`multi-band block ack frame indicating reception statuses of the plurality of MPDUs
`transmitted over the plurality of frequency bands" and "receiving a per- band block ack
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 3
`
`frameindicating a reception status of one or more MPDUs amongthe plurality of MPDUs,
`the one or more MPDUsbeing transmitted on one frequency band among the plurality of
`frequency bands."
`
`Furthermore, Fig. 5 of Merlin discloses Scoreboards 555-b, 555-c, and 555-d for each
`link in addition to a Global Scoreboard 555-a. Merlin is interpreted to teach that a "per-
`band block ack frame"is received and recorded in Scoreboards 555-b, 555-c, and 555-d
`for each link, which is managed collectively in Global Scoreboard 555-a. ("a transmitting
`device may map per-link scoreboards 555-b, 555-c, and 555-d to global scoreboard 555-
`a in order to determine which transmitted MPDUs were successfully and/or
`unsuccessfully received on a global level (e.g., as opposed to a per-link level)" Merlin,
`[0092].) As such, FIG. 5 of Merlin does not teach or suggest a multi-band transmitter
`device which, "based on the multi-band Block Ack agreement, receives onafirst
`frequency band a multi-band block ack frameindicating reception statuses of the plurality
`of MPDUs"wherein "the receiver, in operation, additionally receives a per-band block ack
`frameindicating a reception status of one or more MPDUs amongthe plurality of
`MPDUs"as claimed.
`
`Examinerrespectfully disagrees. As described in [0007] of Merlin, the BA
`
`agreementis established on a per-link basis and a transmitting device may assign SNs
`
`to data units on a per-link basis. That is, The BA agreement maycall for both a global
`
`set of SNs (e.g., associated with all the links used for multi-link aggregation), as well as
`
`a local set of SNs (e.g., associated with each link used for multi-link aggregation).
`
`Furthermore, the claims do nottie the per-band block ack frame associated with
`
`received MPDUs to the multi-band block ack agreement. As such, a wireless device
`
`capable of supporting multiple BA agreements as taught in [0045] of Merlin, would
`
`easily be capable of receiving a multi-band block ack framefor a first BA agreement and
`
`additionally receiving per-link block ack frames under a second BA agreement.
`
`As such, examiner maintains that the prior art continues to teach on the claimed
`
`invention.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 4
`
`Claim Objections
`
`Claim 21 and 28 are objected to because ofthe following informalities: Claim 21
`
`recites “wherein the single multi-band Block Ack agreementis established for the TID by
`
`exchanging...” and should be corrected to “wherein the sige multi-band Block Ack
`
`agreementis established for the singleTID by exchanging...”
`
`Appropriate correction is 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 effectivefiling 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.
`
`The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness
`
`under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized asfollows:
`
`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences betweenthe prior art and the claims at issue.
`
`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
`
`4. Considering objective evidence presentin the application indicating
`
`obviousness or nonobviousness.
`
`Claim(s) 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 28, 30, 31, 34, 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C.
`
`103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0205502 A1 to Merlin et al. (hereinafter
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 5
`
`“Merlin”) in view of US 2011/0261735 Ail to Cordeiro et al. (hereinafter “Cordeiro”) and
`
`US 2017/0311204 Ai to Cariou et al. (hereinafter “Cariou’)
`
`Regarding Claim 20 and 27, Merlin teaches A multi-band transmitter device
`
`and communication method comprising: (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses a wireless
`
`device 905 that supports multi-link BA management)
`
`control circuitry ([0114], discloses wireless device 905 mayalso include a
`
`processor) which, establishes a multi-band Block Ack agreement for a single
`
`Traffic Identifier (TID) between the multi-band transmitter device and a multi-band
`
`recipient device ([0009], discloses establishing a block acknowledgement agreement
`
`for a plurality of wireless links used for communications in parallel between the first
`
`wireless device and a second wireless device)
`
`a transmitter which, (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses wireless device 905
`
`comprising transmitter 920) in operation, transmits to the multi-band recipient
`
`device over a plurality of frequency bands,a plurality of MAC layer Protocol Data
`
`Units (MPDUs) overa plurality of frequency bands belonging to the single TID;
`
`([0045], discloses in some cases (e.g., for single link operation) each link may be
`
`associated with a unique transmitter address (TA), or a unique receiver (RA), ora
`
`unique (TID), or a combination of unique TA, RA, and/or TID. However, in some
`
`wireless communications systems supporting multi-link operation, each TID (i.e. single
`
`TID) may be aggregated across multiple links. A BA agreement may establish a TA,
`
`RA, and/or TID for one or more indicated links. The wireless device may then transmit
`
`packets to another wireless device using multiple links, and receive a BA with
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 6
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`acknowledgementinformation accounting for the transmitted packets according to the
`
`established BA agreement. Figure 7 and [0098]-[0103], discloses a wireless device 705-
`
`a may format data into MPDUs and transmit the data units to wireless device 705-b via
`
`multiple links and multiple MAC entities. [0042], further discloses the wireless links may
`
`be in the same or different radio frequency (RF) spectrum bands(i.e. plurality of
`
`frequency bands)) and
`
`a receiver (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses wireless device 905 comprising
`
`receiver 910) which, in operation, based on the multi-badn Block Ack agreement
`
`receives on a first frequency band a multi-band block ack frameindicating
`
`reception statuses of the plurality of MPDUstransmitted over the plurality of
`
`frequency bands,((0103]-[0104], discloses At 730, wireless device 705-b may transmit
`
`one or more BAs(i.e. multi-band block ack frame indicating reception statuses) in
`
`responseto the transmissions received at 725. In some examples, the BAs received by
`
`wireless device 705-a at 730 may be received over one (e.g., a first) wirelesslink (i.e.
`
`receiving the multi-band block ack frame on a first frequency band) and the BAs may be
`
`associated with data units sent, by the wireless device 705-a at 725, over both the first
`
`and second wirelesslinks (i.e. MPDUs transmitted overthe plurality of frequency
`
`bands)) wherein
`
`the receiver, in operation, additionally receives a per-band block ack frame
`
`indicating a reception status of one or more MPDUs among theplurality of
`
`MPDUs, the one or more MPDUsbeing transmitted on a one frequency band
`
`among the plurality of frequency bands.
`
`((0005], discloses, a BA agreement may be
`
`established on a per-link basis. For example, a BA agreement mayestablish a
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 7
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`transmitter address (TA), receiver address (RA), and/or traffic identifier (TID) for one or
`
`moreindicated links. [0070], further discloses Further, additional SN sets may be used
`
`(e.g., on a per-link basis) in addition to a global SN set. In such cases, both a global
`
`scoreboard as well as per-link scoreboards may be maintained by a transmitting device.
`
`MPDUs maythus carry both a per-link SN as well as a global SN (e.g., which may both
`
`be carried in a multi-link or enhanced MAC header). On each link, BAs may be usedto
`
`acknowledge MPDUs basedon the per-link SN (i.e. one frequency band).
`
`Scoreboarding may be maintained on a per-link basis (e.g., acting on the per-link SN,
`
`instead of the global SN) and single link BA mechanisms maybe reused. [0085], further
`
`discloses FIG. 4 mayillustrate per-link (e.g., local) scoreboard managementfor multi-
`
`link BA procedures. For example, lower MAC layers 425 may handle processing and
`
`managementof SNs identified in per-link BAs received (receiving a per-band block ack
`
`frame))
`
`Merlin teaches establishing a multi-band Block Ack agreement acrossall link or
`
`bands, or on a per-link basis (see [0068]-[0070]) does not explicitly teach establishing a
`
`multi-band Block Ack agreement using a single frequency band.
`
`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Cordeiro disclosesin [0046]a first
`
`multiband station mayset, establish, create a traffic steam or a block acknowledgement
`
`agreement with a second multiband station onafirst frequency band andafirst channel
`
`by sending a request byafirst multiband station on a second channel and a second
`
`frequency while communicating on the second channel and the second frequency band.
`
`[0049], discloses the originator may send ADDBArequestframe 430 to the recipient on
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 8
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`channel X and 60 GHz frequency band(i.e. single frequency band). [0053], further
`
`discloses the recipient may send a response e.g., ADDTS and/or ADDBA response
`
`frames as appropriate, on the same channel and frequency band wherethe requestis
`
`received e.g., channel X and 60 GHz frequency band.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Merlin to include
`
`the abovelimitations as suggested by Cordeiro, as the originator sends the frame on
`
`any band/channel and the recipient may send response frames appropriately on the
`
`same channel and frequency band and thus canbeefficiently operated as indicated in
`
`[0003] of Cordeiro.
`
`Merlin teaches an upper MAClayerproviding a single-link interface to upper
`
`layers (see Figure 3 and [0076]-[0079]), but Merlin/Cordeiro does not explicitly teach the
`
`multi-band transmitter device and multi-band recipient device identified by respective
`
`unified MAC addresses.
`
`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Cariou discloses in [0102], mechanisms
`
`to expose a single MAC address(i.e. unified MAC address) for the load balanced
`
`(aggregated) link may be used, even though the traffic may be distributed among
`
`multiple physical devices, each having their own MAC Address. A single MAC address
`
`may be presented to the higher layer so that the load balancedlink is treated by the
`
`higher layers as a single logicallink by which the destination is reached. This MAC
`
`address maybe different from the MAC addresses usedon the individual channels.
`
`[0103], further discloses on each peer STA 103 of the link, a MAC layerwithits
`
`associated MAC layer managemententity (MLME) and a specific MAC address(i.e.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 9
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`respective unified MAC addresses) may be used for the multi-band layer, which may
`
`expose a single MAC SAP to the upperlayer, maysplit the traffic on the multiple air
`
`interfaces for a transmit flow, may collect the packets from the multiple air interfaces for
`
`a receiver flow, and may perform reordering.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the
`
`effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Merlin/Cordeiro to
`
`include the abovelimitations as suggested by Cariou, to allow for link aggregation to be
`
`done transparently to the upperlayers, as indicated in [0096] of Cariou.
`
`Regarding Claim 21, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
`
`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein Merlin/Cordeiro further teaches the single
`
`multi-band block ack agreementis established for the TID by exchanging an Add
`
`Block Ack (ADDBA) Requestframe and an Add Block Ack (ADDBA) Response
`
`frame on an enabled frequency band.
`
`(Merlin, [0045], discloses a BA agreement
`
`may be set up or established on a per TID basis. For example, an add BA (ADDBA)
`
`frame may be per <RA, TA> and per TID (e.g., per access category). However, in some
`
`wireless communications systems supporting multi-link operation, each TID may be
`
`aggregated across multiple links. Therefore, if each aggregated TID is associated with a
`
`common BA agreement across multiple links, predefined mapping between <TA, RA,
`
`TID> and the BA agreement maybeviolated (e.g., in cases where eachlink keeps a
`
`unique <TA, RA>). Thus, a BA agreement (i.e. single multi-band block ack agreement)
`
`may establish a TA, RA, and/or TID for one or moreindicated links. Cordeiro, further
`
`teachesin [0049], the originator may send ADDBA requestframe 430 to the recipient on
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 10
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`channel X and 60 GHz frequency band(i.e. single frequency band). [0053], further
`
`discloses the recipient may send a response e.g., ADDTS and/or ADDBA response
`
`frames as appropriate, on the same channel and frequency band wherethe requestis
`
`received e.g., channel X and 60 GHz frequency band) Examiner maintains same
`
`motivation to combine as indicated in Claim 20 above.
`
`Regarding Claim 23, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
`
`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein Merlin further teaches the plurality of
`
`MPDUsare transmitted on any of the plurality of frequency bands to which the
`
`TID is mapped.
`
`([0045], discloses in some wireless communications systems
`
`supporting multi-link operation, each TID may be aggregated across multiple links.
`
`[0006], further discloses In cases where the BA agreementis established across
`
`multiple links, a transmitting device (e.g., a device transmitting packets or data units and
`
`receiving subsequent BAs) may assign each of the data units one of a single set of
`
`sequence numbers (SNs) (e.g., a global set of SNs), and the data units may be sent
`
`over any of the wirelesslinks)
`
`Regarding Claim 24, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
`
`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein, Merlin further teaches in response to
`
`receiving the multi-band block ack frame that indicates failure of reception of a
`
`first MPDU transmitted on the first frequency band, the transmitter retransmits
`
`the first MPDU on a second frequency banddifferent from the first frequency
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 11
`
`band.
`
`([0078], discloses The upper MAClayer 315 may additionally or alternatively
`
`provide a single BA space(e.g., a single BA scoreboard and sequence space) suchthat
`
`MPDUs may be scheduled dynamically on a per-PPDU basis for each link (€.g.,
`
`such
`
`that a given MPDU mayberetransmitted on a differentlink from that on which it was
`
`originally transmitted). [0097], further discloses As an example, each MPDU may be
`
`associated with one or more BAs. As shownin FIG. 6A, MPDU 4 (e.g., MPDU
`
`associated with Link 2 SN value of ‘2’) and MPDU 5 (e.g., MPDU associated with Link 2
`
`SN valueof ‘2’, having Global SN value of ‘5’) may be unsuccessfully transmitted. FIG.
`
`6B illustrates local or per-link scoreboard mapping to the global scoreboard mapping.
`
`For example, an MPDU with a local SN of ‘2’ may be indicated as unsuccessfully
`
`received on Link 2 via a BA. The transmitting device may mapthe value to a global
`
`scoreboard, andidentify the fourth transmitted MPDU (e.g., MPDU associated with
`
`global SN value of ‘4’) was unsuccessfully transmitted. As such, the transmitting device
`
`may transmit the fourth MPDU on anotherlink (e.g., ‘Link 1’). Further, the retransmitted
`
`MPDU with a local SN of ‘3’ may be indicated as successfully received on Link 1 viaa
`
`BA. Thetransmitting device may mapthe value to a global scoreboard, and identify the
`
`fourth transmitted MPDU (e.g., MPDU associated with global SN ‘4’) was successfully
`
`retransmitted)
`
`Regarding Claim 34, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
`
`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein
`
`Cordeiro further teaches the controlcircuitry, in operation, using the single
`
`frequency band, performs a multi-band association setup (Cordeiro discloses in
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 12
`
`[0049], the originator may send ADDBArequestframe 430 to the recipient on channel X
`
`and 60 GHz frequency band(i.e. single frequency band). [0053], further discloses the
`
`recipient may send a response e.g., ADDTS and/or ADDBAresponseframes as
`
`appropriate, on the same channel and frequency band wherethe request is received
`
`e.g., channel X and 60 GHz frequency band)
`
`Merlin further teaches performs a multi-band association setup for
`
`simultaneous communication on theplurality of frequency bands with the multi-
`
`band recipient device. (Merlin, [0045], discloses a BA agreement may be set up or
`
`established on a per TID basis. For example, an add BA (ADDBA)frame maybe per
`
`<RA, TA> and per TID (e.g., per access category). However, in some wireless
`
`communications systems supporting multi-link operation, each TID may be aggregated
`
`across multiple links. Therefore, if each aggregated TID is associated with a common
`
`BA agreementacross multiple links, predefined mapping between <TA, RA, TID> and
`
`the BA agreement maybeviolated (e.g., in cases where each link keeps a unique <TA,
`
`RA>). Thus, a BA agreement (i.e. single multi-oband block ack agreement) may
`
`establish a TA, RA, and/or TID for one or more indicated links)
`
`Examiner maintains same motivation to combine as indicated in Claim 20 above.
`
`Claims 28, 30-31, 35 are rejected for having the samelimitations as claims
`
`21, 23-24, 34 respectively, except the claims are in method format.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 13
`
`Claim(s) 25 and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou in view of US 2020/0037288 Ai (provisional application no.
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`62/756,727 to Huang
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`et al.
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`(hereinafter “Wang”
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`Regarding Claim 25, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
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`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein Merlin further teaches the transmitter, in
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`operation, transmits a multi-band block ack request frame ([0058], discloses
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`transmitting device transmits a block acknowledgement request)
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`Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou does not explicitly teach the multi-band block ack request
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`frame includes one or more per-band information fields, each of the one or more
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`per-band information fields comprising a TID field for indicating the TID for which
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`the multi-band block ack responseis requested.
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`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Huangillustrates in Figure 16 and [0175],
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`a multi-TID BlockAckReg variant, in which An existing BAR information field for Multi-
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`TID BlockAckReq 1640 is shown in FIG. 16. One or more reservedbits in Per TID Info
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`can be used to Numberof repeat Block Ack Starting Sequence Control after Per TID
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`Info.
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`Therefore, it would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of
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`Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou to include the abovelimitations as suggested by Huang, to
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`enable solicitation of aggregation of more than one BAbitmapfor one TID as indicated
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`in [0175] of Huang.
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 14
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`Claim 32 is rejected for having the samelimitations as claim 25, except the
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`claim is in method format.
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`Claim(s) 26 and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
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`over Merlin in view of US 2007/0002810 A‘ to Trainin et al. (hereinafter “Trainin”)
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`Regarding Claim 26, Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou teaches The multi-band
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`transmitter device of Claim 20, wherein Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou does not explicitly
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`teach a single reordering buffer is maintained for each set of a MAC addressof
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`the multi-band recipient device and the TID.
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`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Trainin discloses in [0041], In next
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`transmit opportunity 504, originator 510 starts to send data frames 530, 532 and 534 to
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`RA1 and TID 2. Recipient 550 receives only frame 534, as shown, frames 530 and 532
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`are not received. At this point, recipient 550 recognizes that the TID (TID2) differs from
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`the former (TID1) and therefore resets the memoryallocated for bitmap 552 and starts
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`the new bitmap 552 related to new TID2 in the same location. The BAR-BA exchange
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`behaviorof originator 510 and recipient 550 may be the same as described for TID1. In
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`one embodiment, originator 510 has separate resources for bitmap 514, as well as for
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`actual data frames per RA/TID; recipient 550 has separate reordering buffers 556 for
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`data frames per TA/TID, but may include only single shared resource for bitmap 552.
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`Therefore, it would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art before the
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`effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of
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`Merlin/Cordeiro/Cariou to include the abovelimitations as suggested by Trainin, thus
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 15
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`enabling releasing of frames to upper layers and freeing related buffers, to reduce
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`storage requirements of a recipient station as indicated in [0017] and [0044] of Trainin.
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`Claim 33 is rejected for having the same limitations as claim 26, except the
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`claim is in method format.
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`Conclusion
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
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`this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the eventafirst reply is filed within
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`TWO MONTHS ofthe mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTHshortenedstatutory period, then the
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`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
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`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
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`the advisory action.
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`In no event, however,will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to JENKEY VAN whosetelephone number is (571)270-
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`7160. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
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`Page 16
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`/JENKEY VAN/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
`
`