www.uspto.gov
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/607,425
`
`10/29/2021
`
`Felix FELLHAUER
`
`17199US01
`
`TIA9
`
`Xsensts
`
`/Sony
`
`ees
`
`Xsensus / Sony
`100 Daingerfield Road, Suite 402
`Alexandria, VA 22314
`
`KAO,JUTAI
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2473
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`11/12/2024
`
`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):
`Xdocket @ XSensus.com
`
`Xsensuspat@ XSensus.com
`anaquadocketing @ Xsensus.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`17/607,425
`Examiner
`JUTAI KAO
`
`Applicant(s)
`FELLHAUER etal.
`Art Unit
`AIA (FITF) Status
`2473
`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 10/31/2024.
`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*
`1-20 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-20 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 20241106
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined
`
`underthefirst inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`Amendmentsfiled on 10/31/2024 are entered. The amendments change the
`
`scopesof the previously presented claims. The current Office Action is made FINAL as
`
`necessitated by the claim amendments.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but
`
`are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in
`
`the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the
`
`argument.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis forall
`
`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`Apatent fora claimed invention may notbe obtained, notwithstanding thatthe claimed
`invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the
`claimed invention and the prior artare suchthat the claimed invention as a whole would have
`been obvious beforethe effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having
`ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall notbe
`negated by the manner in whichthe invention was made.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 3
`
`This application currently namesjoint inventors.
`
`In considering patentability of the
`
`claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was
`
`commonly ownedasof the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any
`
`evidenceto the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to
`
`point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly
`
`ownedas of the effectivefiling date of the later invention in order for the examiner to
`
`consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)
`
`prior art against the later invention.
`
`Claim(s) 1-8, 10-11, 13-15 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as
`
`being unpatentable over Banerjea (WO 2017/180845 A1, included in IDS dated
`
`10/29/2021) in views of Fang (US 2019/0289633) and Chu (US 10,237,891 B1).
`
`Banerjea discloses the following features.
`
`Regarding claim 1, a first communication device (see AP 110 in Fig. 1)
`
`comprising circuitry configured to simultaneously communicate with a group of two or
`
`more second communication devices (see STAsin Fig.
`
`1 and see “multiple STAs to
`
`transmit and receive data on a shared wireless medium at the same time’recited in
`
`paragraph [0056)]), the circuitry being configured to generate schedule information that
`
`schedules, for two or more subsequent time slots, the assignment of different resource
`
`units to the second communication devices of the group of second communication
`
`devicesto indicate, per time slot or per group of time slots, which second
`
`communication device of the group shall use which resource unit for data transmission
`
`(see paragraph [0068], which recites “In some aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule and the allocated RUs to the selected wireless
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 4
`
`device in one or more trigger frames.
`
`In other aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices in a beacon frame, and
`
`may allocate RUs based on the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless
`
`devices in one or moretrigger frames.In still other aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices using any suitable
`
`broadcast or multicast frame or packet” and see “The AP may combine the various
`
`unique frequency hopping patterns into a frequency hopping schedule, and allocate
`
`RUs to the selected wireless devices according to the frequency hopping schedule”,
`
`and see paragraph [0088] and Fig. 7A), transmit the schedule information to the group
`
`of second communication devices (see “The AP maytransmit a trigger frame 610 to the
`
`stations STA1-STA4 on a DL channel.
`
`In some implementations,
`
`the trigger frame 610
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule to the stations STA1-STA4, and may
`
`allocate a unique sequence of RUs to each of the stations STA1-STA4 based on the
`
`frequency hopping patterns selected by the AP” recited in paragraph [0075]), and
`
`receive data in subsequent time slots from second communication devices of the group
`
`that use the resource units according to the assignment scheduled by the schedule
`
`information for data transmission (see “The AP mayreceive the UL MU data 612 from
`
`the stations STA1-STA4at time ts” recited in paragraph [0081], according to trigger
`
`frame 610 as shownin Fig. 6A/6B).
`
`Regarding claim 2, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate one or moreof,
`
`a length of time slots for which the schedule information schedules the assignment of
`
`different resource units (see “RU sizes” recited in paragraph [0075]),
`
`if data transmitted
`
`in subsequent time slots are separated with a time distance and/or by data transmission
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 5
`
`by the first communication device, and if a continuation trigger in data transmission by
`
`the communication device is required to proceed to a next time slot.
`
`Regarding claim 3, wherein the circuitry is configured to include the trigger
`
`information and the schedule information in a trigger frame transmitted (see “trigger
`
`frame...RU sizes” recited in paragraph [0075)).
`
`Regarding claim 4, wherein the trigger information further includes one or more
`
`of the modulation coding scheme to be applied by the second communication devices to
`
`the data to be transmitted (see “MCSs’recited in paragraph [0075]), powercontrol
`
`parameters to be applied by the second communication devices, and parameters
`
`configuring a physical layer of the second communication devices to be applied for the
`
`data to be transmitted.
`
`Regarding claim 5, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the schedule
`
`information in the form of a table (see paragraph [0105], wherein the hopping schedule
`
`for the wireless devices are included in a beacon/trigger frame, which may be
`
`considered as a table) or function and, in case of a function, information indicating the
`
`kind of function and/or aninitial value of the function.
`
`Regarding claim 6, wherein the circuitry is configured to generate the schedule
`
`information in the form of a table (see paragraph [0105], wherein the hopping schedule
`
`for the wireless devices are included in a beacon/trigger frame, which may be
`
`considered as a table) comprising one or more entries indicating that the corresponding
`
`second communication devices does not transmit data or is not addressed in
`
`corresponding time slot and/or that the corresponding resource unit is available for use
`
`by any other second communication devices (see paragraph [0088], which showsthat
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 6
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`each STAis only allocated specific Rus and does not transmit in the non-allocated
`
`RUs).
`
`Regarding claim 7, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit, after receiving
`
`data from second communication devices in one or more time slots (see paragraph
`
`[0081]), continuation trigger information indicating one or more of an indication of the
`
`schedule information to which the continuation trigger applies (see “second trigger
`
`frame’ recited in paragraph [0082]); the number and/or length of the following one or
`
`moretime slots; that the schedule information still applies; at least part of the schedule
`
`information and/or trigger information that applies to the following one or more time
`
`slots; and the second communication devices to which the continuation trigger
`
`information applies.
`
`Regarding claim 8, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit the continuation
`
`trigger information in a continuation trigger frame (see “second trigger frame’ recited in
`
`paragraph [0082]) or in a continuation trigger subfield of a header of a transmitted
`
`protocol data unit containing the continuation trigger information.
`
`Regarding claim 10, wherein the circuitry is configured to receive data units,
`
`into
`
`which data transmitted by a second communication device are encoded, from different
`
`time slots and/or different resource units according to the schedule information for said
`
`second communication device and to decode the data from the received data unit (see
`
`paragraph [0083], wherein the AP receives UL MU data 622 from STA1-ST based on
`
`the schedule).
`
`Regarding claim 11, wherein the circuitry is configured to verify the status of
`
`reception and/or transmit an acknowledgement of the data after decoding them from the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 7
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`received data units (see M-BA (multi-station block acknowledgement) frame 616 and
`
`626 recited in paragraph [0081], [0083] and Fig. 6A).
`
`Regarding claim 13, asecond communication device (see STA1 in Fig. 1)
`
`comprising circuitry configured to communicate with a first communication device (see
`
`AP 110 in Fig. 1) that is configured to simultaneously communicate with a group of two
`
`or more second communication devices (see STAsin Fig.
`
`1 and see “multiple STAs to
`
`transmit and receive data on a shared wireless medium at the same time’ recited in
`
`paragraph [0056)]), the circuitry being configured to receive schedule information that
`
`schedules, for two or more subsequent time slots, the assignment of different resource
`
`units to the second communication devices of the group of second communication
`
`devicesto indicate, per time slot or per group of time slots, which second
`
`communication device of the group shall use which resource unit for data transmission
`
`(see paragraph [0068], which recites “In some aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule and the allocated RUs to the selected wireless
`
`device in one or more trigger frames.
`
`In other aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices in a beacon frame, and
`
`may allocate RUs based on the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless
`
`devices in one or moretrigger frames.In still other aspects, the AP may announce the
`
`frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices using any suitable
`
`broadcast or multicast frame or packet” and see “The AP may combine the various
`
`unique frequency hopping patterns into a frequency hopping schedule, and allocate
`
`RUs to the selected wireless devices according to the frequency hopping schedule’,
`
`and see paragraph [0088] and Fig. 7A), and transmit data in subsequent time slots
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 8
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`using the resource units according to the assignment scheduled by the schedule
`
`information for the second communication device (see “The AP may receive the UL MU
`
`data 612 from the stations STA1-STA4at time ts” recited in paragraph [0081], according
`
`to trigger frame 610 as shownin Fig. 6A/6B).
`
`Regarding claim 14, transmit data after the schedule has been received on the
`
`resource unit assigned in a first time slot, and/or transmit data in further time slots on
`
`corresponding resource units defined by the schedule information either after the
`
`previous time slot, or after a response from the first communication device has been
`
`received after the previous time slot, or after a response from the first communication
`
`device containing a continuation trigger which addresses the second communication
`
`device has been received after the previous time slot (see Fig. 6A/6B, wherein the STA
`
`transmits at the scheduled RU at 612 after the trigger slot 610).
`
`Regarding claim 15, wherein the circuitry is configured to encode data to be
`
`transmitted into data units, to assign the encoded data units to different time slots using
`
`a resource unit as scheduled by the schedule information and to transmit the data units
`
`(see paragraph [0083], which shows the STAtransmitting based on the schedule
`
`information; and see frame formatting circuitry 222 in the STA for encoding the data to
`
`be transmitted into data units).
`
`Regarding claim 18, a first communication method configured to simultaneously
`
`communicate with a group of two or more second communication devices (see STAsin
`
`Fig.
`
`1 and see “multiple STAs to transmit and receive data on a shared wireless
`
`medium at the same time’recited in paragraph [0056]), the method comprising
`
`generating schedule information that schedules, for two or more subsequenttime slots,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 9
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`the assignmentof different resource units to the second communication devices of the
`
`group of second communication devices to indicate, per time slot or per group of time
`
`slots, which second communication device of the group shall use which resourceunit
`
`for data transmission (see paragraph [0068], which recites “In some aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule and the allocated _RUs to the
`
`selected wireless device in one or more trigger frames.
`
`In other aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devicesin a
`
`beacon frame, and may allocate RUs based on the frequency hopping schedule to the
`
`selected wireless devices in one or moretrigger frames.In still other aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices using
`
`any suitable broadcast or multicast frame or packet” and see “The AP may combine the
`
`various unique frequency hopping patterns into a frequency hopping schedule, and
`
`allocate RUs to the selected wireless devices according to the frequency hopping
`
`schedule’, and see paragraph [0088] and Fig. 7A), transmitting the schedule information
`
`to the group of second communication devices (see “The AP may transmit a trigger
`
`frame 610 to the stations STA1-STA4 on a DL channel.
`
`In some implementations, the
`
`trigger frame 610 may announcethe frequency hopping schedule to the stations STA1-
`
`STA4, and may allocate a unique sequence of RUs to each of the stations STA1-STA4
`
`based on the frequency hopping patterns selected by the AP” recited in paragraph
`
`[0075]), and receiving data in subsequent time slots from second communication
`
`devices of the group that use the resource units according to the assignment scheduled
`
`by the schedule information for data transmission (see “The AP may receive the UL MU
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 10
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`data 612 from the stations STA1-STA4at time ts” recited in paragraph [0081], according
`
`to trigger frame 610 as shownin Fig. 6A/6B).
`
`Regarding claim 19, asecond communication method configured to
`
`communicate with a first communication device (see AP 110 in Fig. 1) that is configured
`
`to simultaneously communicate with a group of two or more second communication
`
`devices (see STAsin Fig.
`
`1 and see “multiple STAs to transmit and receive data on a
`
`shared wireless medium at the same time’recited in paragraph [0056]), the method
`
`comprising receiving schedule information that schedules, for two or more subsequent
`
`time slots, the assignment of different resource units to the second communication
`
`devices of the group of second communication devicesto indicate, per time slot or per
`
`group of time slots, which second communication device of the group shall use which
`
`resource unit for data (see paragraph [0068], which recites “In some aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule and the allocated RUsto the
`
`selected wireless device in one or more trigger frames.
`
`In other aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devicesin a
`
`beacon frame, and may allocate RUs based on the frequency hopping schedule to the
`
`selected wireless devices in one or moretrigger frames.In still other aspects, the AP
`
`may announce the frequency hopping schedule to the selected wireless devices using
`
`any suitable broadcast or multicast frame or packet” and see “The AP may combine the
`
`various unique frequency hopping patterns into a frequency hopping schedule, and
`
`allocate RUs to the selected wireless devices according to the frequency hopping
`
`schedule’, and see paragraph [0088] and Fig. 7A), and transmitting data in subsequent
`
`time slots using the resource units according to the assignment scheduled by the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 11
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`schedule information for the second communication device (see “The AP may receive
`
`the UL MU data 612 from the stations STA1-STA4 at time ts” recited in paragraph
`
`[0081], according to trigger frame 610 as shown in Fig. 6A/6B).
`
`Regarding claim 20, a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores
`
`therein a computer program product, when executed by a processor, causes the
`
`method according to claim 18 or 19 to be performed (see AP 110 or STAsin Fig. 1).
`
`Banerjea does notdisclose the following features: regarding claims 1, 13 and 18-
`
`19, the schedule information includes a total numberof time slots for which the
`
`schedule information schedules the assignment of different resource units; the schedule
`
`information being transmitted/received as a triggering SU PPDU via multi-mode or
`
`broadcast mode transmission
`
`Fang discloses the following features.
`
`Regarding claims 1, 13 and 18-19, the schedule information includesatotal
`
`number of time slots for which the schedule information schedules the assignment of
`
`different resource units (see Fig. 3A and paragraph [0046]-[0048], which showsthat the
`
`trigger frame 302 divides the TXOP into m numbers of CA slots; and see “MU RA
`
`parameters in the trigger frame, such as:...b) the number of CA slots in the CA-TXOP”
`
`recite in paragraphs [0061]-[0063], which showsthatthe trigger frame includes thetotal
`
`number of CA slots assigned to the MU STAsas shownin Fig. 3A).
`
`Chu discloses the following features.
`
`Regarding claims 1, 13 and 18-19, the schedule information being
`
`transmitted/received as a triggering SU PPDU via multi-mode or broadcast mode
`
`transmission (see “In some embodiments, a client station receives a control frame with
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 12
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`the first VAP's BSSID asthe transmitter address (TA) in SU PPDU whichis destined to
`
`client stations associated with multiple VAPs, such as a trigger frame having per-
`
`user information fields (e.g., User Info fields in Trigger frame) for client stations
`
`associated with different VAPs” recited in column 11, lines 1-44; which shows that a
`
`trigger frame maybe transmitted in an SU PPDU destined for multiple client stations).
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effectivefiling
`
`date of the current application to modify the system of Banerjea using features, as
`
`taught by Fang and Chu, in order to improve the medium usageefficiency significantly
`
`especially in the high density deployment scenario (see paragraph [0040] of Fang) and
`
`in order to reduce management overhead (see column 4, lines 20-47 of Chu).
`
`Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Guo (US
`
`2015/0124775).
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu disclose the features as shown above.
`
`Banerjea does not disclose the following features: regarding claim 9, thefirst
`
`communication device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the
`
`circuitry is configured to stop the application of schedule information by transmitting a
`
`stop signaling or including a timeout value into the schedule information or indicating
`
`that the application of the schedule information stops after the last time slot for which an
`
`assignment is included in the schedule information.
`
`Guodiscloses the following features.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 13
`
`Regarding claim 9, the first communication device as claimed in any one of the
`
`preceding claims, wherein the circuitry is configured to stop the application of schedule
`
`information by transmitting a stop signaling or including a timeout value into the
`
`schedule information (see “a UE would receive, from a cluster head, a resource
`
`allocation and an expiration time of the resource allocation. And the UE would use the
`
`resource allocation to perform transmission and stop using the resourceallocation to
`
`perform transmission after the expiration time” recited in paragraph [0072]) or indicating
`
`that the application of the schedule information stops after the last time slot for which an
`
`assignment is included in the schedule information.
`
`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art at the effectivefiling
`
`date of the current application to modify the system of Banerjea, Fang and Chu using
`
`features, as taught by Guo, in order to release the allocated resources for other
`
`purposes (see paragraph [0071] of Guo).
`
`Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Minotani
`
`(US 2022/0158768).
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu disclose the features as shown above.
`
`Banerjea does not disclose the following features: regarding claim 12, wherein
`
`the circuitry is configured to transmit, after receiving data from second communication
`
`devices in one or more subsequent time slots, conditional continuation trigger
`
`information indicating, for one or more subsequent time slots, which resource units are
`
`assigned to second communication devices for retransmission of data and/or which
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 14
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`resource units are unused and/or available for use by other second communication
`
`devices.
`
`Minotani discloses the following features
`
`Regarding claim 12, wherein the circuitry is configured to transmit, after receiving
`
`data from second communication devices in one or more subsequenttime slots,
`
`conditional continuation trigger information indicating, for one or more subsequent time
`
`slots, which resource units are assigned to second communication devices for
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`retransmission of data (see paragraph [0193] or Fig. 14, wherein the AP receives the
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`UL transmission in step ST204 and sendsa trigger signal for retransmission in ST206)
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`and/or which resource units are unused and/or available for use by other second
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`communication devices.
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effectivefiling
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`date of the current application to modify the system of Banerjea, Fang and Chu using
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`features, as taught by Minotani,
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`in order to schedule a retransmission when anerroris
`
`detected (see paragraph [0183] of Minotani).
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`Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
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`Banerjea, Fang and Chu asapplied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Alasti (US
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`2020/0146031).
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`Banerjea, Fang and Chu disclose the features as shown above.
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`Banerjea does not disclose the following features: regarding claim 16, wherein
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`the circuitry is configured to create two or more copies of each data block and to assign
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 15
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`the copies to different time slots using a resource unit as scheduled by the schedule
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`information.
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`Alasti discloses the following features.
`
`Regarding claim 16, wherein the circuitry is configured to create two or more
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`copies of each data block and to assign the copies to different time slots using a
`
`resource unit as scheduled by the schedule information (see “the instance of user
`
`equipment mayselect to use a subsetorall of the available GF configurations, such as
`
`to send replications of the same data using the multiple GF configurations. The GF
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`configurations set by grant-free configuration assignment engine 144 may be
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`transmitted to instances of user equipment 110 via base station 120. Grant-free
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`configuration assignment engine 144 may maintain a database that indicates which
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`resource units of different GF transmission configurations are equivalent’ recited
`
`in paragraph [0023]).
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`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the effectivefiling
`
`date of the current application to modify the system of Banerjea, Fang and Chu using
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`features, as taught by Alasti,
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`in order to improvereliability of data transmission by
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`transmitting replicated data.
`
`Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Kilian (US
`
`2020/0336241).
`
`Banerjea, Fang and Chu disclose the features as shown above.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 16
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`Banerjea does not disclose the following features: regarding claim 17, wherein
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`the circuitry is configured to encode the data before splitting them into data blocks and
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`assigning them to different time slots.
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`Kilian discloses the following features.
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`Regarding claim 17, wherein the circuitry is configured to encode the data before
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`splitting them into data blocks and assigning them to different time slots (see “a data
`
`transmitter configured to channel-encode data and to divide the same onto a plurality of
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`sub-data packets and to transmit the plurality of sub-data packets according to a
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`hopping pattern” recited in paragraph [0012]).
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`It would have been obvious to oneof ordinary skill in the art at the effectivefiling
`
`date of the current application to modify the system of Banerjea, Fang and Chu using
`
`features, as taught by Kilian,
`
`in order to increase transferreliability (see paragraph
`
`[0006] ofKilian).
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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
`
`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
`
`CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
`
`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event a first reply is filed within
`
`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTHshortened statutory period, then the
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/607,425
`Art Unit: 2473
`
`Page 17
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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.
`
`Inno event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JUTAI KAO whose telephone numberis (571)272-9719.
`
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
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`supervisor, Kwang Yao can be reached on (571)272-3182. The fax phone numberfor
`
`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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