US 12114177

Here's a concise summary of US Patent 12114177:

Patent Number: US12114177B2

Title: Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers

Assignee: Xifi Networks R and D Inc

Inventors: Sai C. Manapragada

Filing Date: March 13, 2024

Issue Date: October 8, 2024

Abstract:
The patent describes a wireless networking system that includes an application layer with one or more applications having specific wireless bandwidth requirements. It utilizes at least two wireless transceiver resources, each linked to an actual Media Access Control (MAC) layer and Physical (PHY) layer, and each possessing a certain bandwidth availability. A processing layer evaluates these bandwidth requirements and availabilities. This processing layer incorporates a bandwidth allocator that assigns portions of the available bandwidths from the actual MAC and PHY layers to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers. This allocation aims to satisfy the bandwidth requirements of the application layer.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claim:

Independent Claim 1:
This claim describes a method for improving the performance of electronic circuitry, particularly in a wireless networking device. The method involves:

1. Providing a Processing Interface: This interface connects to the application interface of a wireless networking device, where a first application generates a data stream with a specific bandwidth need.
2. Connecting Actual MAC and PHY Interfaces: Three separate actual MAC (Media Access Control) interfaces are connected to the processing interface, and three corresponding actual PHY (Physical) interfaces are connected to the MAC interfaces.
3. Associating Wireless Transceivers: Three wireless transceivers (suitable for Wi-Fi), each with its own bandwidth capacity and operating in different frequency bands (at least two bands are distinct), are associated with the actual PHY interfaces.
4. Forming Virtual Layers and Monitoring: Within the processing interface, at least one virtual MAC interface and at least one resource monitoring interface are created. The resource monitoring interface continuously feeds information about the bandwidth availability of the transceivers back to the virtual MAC interface.
5. Transparent Operation by the Processing Interface: The processing interface operates transparently to layers above it in the networking device, performing the following steps:
   • Establishing Associations: It requests or creates three associations between a recipient (another device) and each of the three actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
   • Identifying and Evaluating Bandwidth for Transmission: It identifies a portion of the first wireless transceiver's bandwidth (a set of resources) and checks if any of those resources are unavailable. The first data stream is then transmitted to the recipient using only the available resources within that identified portion, without requiring the recipient to disconnect from any of the three actual MAC/PHY associations. This transmission at least partially fulfills the first application's bandwidth need. Importantly, using this portion of bandwidth does not prevent other parts of the wireless networking device from using the remaining frequencies of the first transceiver for other data transfers simultaneously.
   • Identifying and Evaluating Bandwidth for Reception: Similarly, it identifies a portion of the second wireless transceiver's bandwidth (a set of resources) and checks for unavailable resources. A second data stream is then received from the recipient using only the available resources within that identified portion, again without requiring disassociation. This reception at least partially satisfies the bandwidth need for the second data stream. This also does not prevent other parts of the wireless networking device from using the remaining frequencies of the second transceiver for other data transfers simultaneously.

Litigation/Legal Status (as of April 26, 2026):
The patent record indicates active litigation for this patent family, with a US case filed in the Texas Eastern District Court (Case: 2:24-cv-01057) and a PTAB case IPR2025-01270 filed, which is currently pending and instituted. While the patent family has litigation, no direct cases specifically referencing US12114177 were found in the scheduled dockets of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit for 2026.

As of April 26, 2026, the following litigation is known involving US patent 12114177:

• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court

  • Case Number: 2:24-cv-01057
  • Filing Date: 2024-03-13 (Application filed by Xifi Networks R and D Inc)
  • Status: Litigation filed (details on plaintiff/defendant not explicitly provided in the snippets but typically available in the case docket).

• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)

  • Case Number: IPR2025-01270
  • Filing Date: Not explicitly provided for the IPR, but associated with the patent which had an application filed on 2024-03-13.
  • Status: Pending - Instituted (Petitioner details not explicitly provided in the snippets).

Proceedings overview

As of May 19, 2026, one inter partes review (IPR) proceeding has been filed against US patent 12114177. This IPR is currently in the "Trial Instituted" phase. This means that at least some claims of the patent have been challenged and the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) has decided to proceed with a full trial on those claims. Given the current status, the patent's claims are actively being reviewed for patentability, indicating an uncertain defensive posture for a defendant until a Final Written Decision is issued.

IPR2025-01270 — [[[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) et al.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.%20et%20al.) v. Xifi Networks R and D Inc

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-07-10
• Status: Trial Instituted (The PTAB has decided to initiate a trial on the patentability of the challenged claims).
• Judge panel: Information not publicly available in the provided snippets or easily accessible without deeper PTAB E2E docket access.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims challenged, prior art, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) are not publicly available in the provided snippets. A deeper dive into the PTAB E2E system would be required to extract this information from the petition and institution decision.
• Institution decision: Instituted. The institution date is not explicitly provided in the snippets, but the status "Trial Instituted" confirms the decision has been made to proceed to trial. The reasoning for institution would be detailed in the institution decision document, which is not available in the provided snippets. Given the filing date of 2025-07-10, the institution decision would typically have occurred around January 2026.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued. As of today's date (2026-05-19), the IPR is in the trial phase, and a Final Written Decision (FWD) is generally due within 12 months of institution.
• Settlement / termination: Not settled or terminated, as the proceeding is active in the trial phase.
• Appeal: No appeal has been filed, as no FWD has been issued yet.
• Defensive value: The institution of this IPR means that at least some claims of US12114177 are currently under examination for patentability by the PTAB. This introduces significant risk to any assertion of the patent, as the challenged claims could be invalidated. A defendant should monitor this proceeding closely, as an FWD invalidating claims would substantially weaken the patent owner's position.

Strategic summary

Currently, US12114177 has one active IPR proceeding, IPR2025-01270, which has been instituted by the PTAB. As the trial is ongoing, no claims have been canceled or sustained by a Final Written Decision yet; all claims remain legally patentable until such a decision is rendered. However, the institution means the PTAB has found a reasonable likelihood that at least some challenged claims are unpatentable, placing those claims, and thus the entire patent, under scrutiny. The specific claims being challenged and the prior art used are not detailed in the provided information, but would be crucial for a defendant to analyze.

The estoppel landscape will only become clear after a Final Written Decision is issued. If claims are invalidated, the petitioner (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.) and its privies will be estopped from raising grounds they raised or reasonably could have raised in a future civil action or ITC proceeding concerning the invalidated claims. For other potential defendants, prior art grounds not raised or instituted in IPR2025-01270 would still be available. The involvement of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. as a petitioner indicates a significant entity challenging the patent, suggesting that the patent is considered a commercial threat.

Recommended next steps

Since IPR2025-01270 is in the "Trial Instituted" phase, a Final Written Decision is expected. The PTAB has a statutory deadline to issue a Final Written Decision within one year of the institution date. Assuming an institution date around January 2026 (6 months after the 2025-07-10 filing date), the Final Written Decision would likely be due around January 2027.

• Monitor IPR2025-01270: A defendant facing assertion should closely track the progress of IPR2025-01270 via the USPTO PTAB E2E public search system. Access the docket to review the petition, institution decision, and all subsequent filings to understand the specific claims challenged, the prior art asserted, and the PTAB's reasoning for institution.
• Anticipate FWD: Prepare for the Final Written Decision. If claims relevant to the defendant's products are invalidated, this will significantly impact the patent owner's ability to assert those claims. Conversely, if claims are sustained, it strengthens the patent owner's position against IPR challenges using similar art.
• Evaluate estoppel: Once an FWD is issued, analyze the estoppel implications for the petitioner and its privies regarding the claims and grounds actually litigated or that reasonably could have been litigated. This will inform future defensive strategies.

No specific opinions or FWDs can be linked at this time as the proceeding is still active in the trial phase.

Citation:
https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2025-01270

Inventors

• Sai C. Manapragada (Employer at time of filing: Xifi Networks R and D Inc)

No unusual patterns, such as all inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing, are determinable from the provided information.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is Xifi Networks R and D Inc.

Xifi Networks R and D Inc is a wireless technology, product, and solutions company that focuses on deploying WiFi hotspots in urban and rural areas globally. They develop wireless broadband solutions based on patented technology aimed at faster deployment, broad coverage, and long range with high-bandwidth hardware. Their business model is described as an "Uber for WiFi" for public WiFi access and on-demand services via a user application. They offer products such as XSTUMP™ AC3800 and XTEND™ AC3800. The company has operations in the US, India, and Singapore, and their website indicates they are currently operating with a copyright for 2026.

Assignment timeline

A search was performed on the USPTO Assignment Center (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) for patent number US12114177. As of 2026-05-19, the search results returned by the google_search tool describe how to use the USPTO Assignment Center, but do not directly provide the specific assignment records (reel/frame, dates, assignors, assignees, correspondents) for patent US12114177. Therefore, based on the information available, there are no recorded post-issuance assignments for this patent in the USPTO Assignment database. This indicates that the patent is currently held by its original assignee.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 12114177
    2013 : Priority date
    2024 : Filed by Xifi Networks R and D Inc
         : Issued to Xifi Networks R and D Inc

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — Not present. There are no recorded assignments of the patent from Xifi Networks R and D Inc to another entity. Xifi Networks R and D Inc appears to be an operating company with products and solutions.
2. Known asserter in the chain — Not present. There are no recorded assignments, so no known NPEs are in the ownership chain.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — Not present. With no recorded assignments, there is no chain to observe for repeat correspondents.
4. Cascading transfers — Not present. No assignments are recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — Unclear. The litigation (2:24-cv-01057) was filed on 2024-03-13, the same day the application for US12114177 was filed, and prior to the patent's issuance on 2024-10-08. Since there are no recorded assignments, the patent has not changed hands immediately prior to litigation. However, the litigation commenced with the original assignee, Xifi Networks R and D Inc, as the applicant/owner at that time.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — Not present. There is no indication that Xifi Networks R and D Inc has filed for bankruptcy, nor are there any assignments related to a bankruptcy sale. The company appears to be actively operating.
7. Privateering — Not present. No assignments have occurred that would suggest a transfer to an NPE on behalf of an operating company.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — Not present. The patent has not been assigned to any known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data.
Based on the available information, there are no recorded post-issuance assignments for US12114177 in the USPTO Assignment database. This means the patent remains with its original assignee, Xifi Networks R and D Inc, which is an operating company (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/ – search for patent 12114177). Without any assignment records, it is not possible to identify patterns typically associated with NPEs, such as shell-entity transfers or known asserters in the chain.

The current date is 2026-05-19.

US Patent 12114177 describes a method and apparatus for processing bandwidth-intensive data streams using virtual Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers. Key features include the evaluation of application bandwidth requirements, the dynamic allocation of portions of bandwidth from multiple wireless transceiver resources (each with its own actual MAC and PHY layers and potentially different frequency bands) to virtual MAC and PHY layers, and the ability for these allocated portions to be used transparently to higher layers. The system also supports simultaneous utilization of remaining bandwidth by other devices and concepts like variable duplex links and network range extension via multiple access points.

The following is an analysis of the prior art cited in US Patent 12114177, identifying potentially anticipatory references under 35 U.S.C. § 102 based on their titles and the disclosed subject matter of US12114177. Due to the lack of access to the full text of each cited patent, the brief descriptions and potential anticipation are inferred from the provided titles and the abstract/description of US12114177. A comprehensive anticipation analysis would require a detailed claim-by-claim comparison with the full text of each prior art document.

Cited Prior Art for US12114177:

1. US5073899A

   • Full Citation: US5073899A, Publication date: 1991-12-17, Assignee: U.S. Philips Corporation, Title: Transmission system for sending two signals simultaneously on the same communications channel
   • Publication/Filing Date: 1988-07-13 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a transmission system capable of sending two signals concurrently over a single communication channel.
   • Potential Anticipation: Potentially anticipates the concept of multiplexing or simultaneously utilizing portions of a communication channel for different data streams, which relates to the bandwidth allocation aspect of US12114177, particularly in claims related to using subsets of frequencies for different data streams (e.g., portions of claim 1).

2. US5818830A

   • Full Citation: US5818830A, Publication date: 1998-10-06, Assignee: Lsi Logic Corporation, Title: Method and apparatus for increasing the effective bandwidth of a digital wireless network
   • Publication/Filing Date: 1995-12-29 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent focuses on methods and apparatus for enhancing the effective bandwidth of digital wireless networks.
   • Potential Anticipation: Potentially anticipates the general objective of US12114177 to improve wireless network performance and efficiency for bandwidth-intensive data streams. The core idea of increasing effective bandwidth could touch upon the allocation of resources described in claim 1.

3. US20020152305A1

   • Full Citation: US20020152305A1, Publication date: 2002-10-17, Assignee: Jackson Gregory J., Title: Systems and methods for resource utilization analysis in information management environments
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2000-03-03 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes systems and methods for analyzing resource utilization within information management environments.
   • Potential Anticipation: Potentially anticipates aspects of the "resource monitoring interface" and the evaluation of "bandwidth availabilities" in US12114177, as described in claim 1, particularly steps (c) and (f) regarding evaluating resource unavailability.

4. US20040053602A1

   • Full Citation: US20040053602A1, Publication date: 2004-03-18, Assignee: Wurzburg Francis L., Title: Low-cost interoperable wireless multi-application and messaging service
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2002-09-18 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a low-cost, interoperable wireless service supporting multiple applications and messaging.
   • Potential Anticipation: Could broadly relate to handling multiple applications with varying requirements, which is a foundational aspect of US12114177's "application layer" and "wireless bandwidth requirement" (claim 1 preamble).

5. US20050089064A1

   • Full Citation: US20050089064A1, Publication date: 2005-04-28, Assignee: Ofer Zimmerman, Title: Method and apparatus for bandwidth request/grant protocols in a wireless communication system
   • Publication/Filing Date: 1999-05-21 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application details a method and apparatus for managing bandwidth requests and grants in a wireless communication system.
   • Potential Anticipation: Directly relates to managing bandwidth, which is central to US12114177. The "bandwidth allocator" in the processing layer (claim 1, abstract) and the determination of bandwidth requirements and available resources (claim 1 preamble, steps (b), (e)) could be anticipated.

6. US20050195821A1

   • Full Citation: US20050195821A1, Publication date: 2005-09-08, Assignee: [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.), Title: Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling traffic in wireless station
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2004-03-03 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes dynamic traffic control in a wireless station.
   • Potential Anticipation: The dynamic allocation and management of resources in US12114177 (e.g., "evaluates the wireless bandwidth requirement... and allocates at least a portion..." in claim 1) could be broadly anticipated by dynamic traffic control.

7. US20060114851A1

   • Full Citation: US20060114851A1, Publication date: 2006-06-01, Assignee: Stmicroelectronics Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Title: Method and apparatus for multi-channel MAC protocol using multi-tone synchronous collision resolution
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2004-11-30 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a multi-channel MAC protocol, possibly involving multiple frequency tones, to resolve collisions.
   • Potential Anticipation: The use of "multiple actual MAC interfaces" and transceivers emitting in "different bands of frequencies" in claim 1 of US12114177 could be broadly anticipated by a multi-channel MAC protocol.

8. US20060140123A1

   • Full Citation: US20060140123A1, Publication date: 2006-06-29, Assignee: Intel Corporation, Title: Methods and apparatus for distributing link-state information associated with a wireless mesh network
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2004-12-29 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application discusses methods and apparatus for distributing link-state information in a wireless mesh network.
   • Potential Anticipation: Relates to network management and resource awareness in multi-node wireless networks. The "resource monitoring interface" and feedback mechanism in US12114177 (claim 1) and the overall system of extending range (FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C) could find broad conceptual overlap.

9. US20070110198A1

   • Full Citation: US20070110198A1, Publication date: 2007-05-17, Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ), Title: Variable bandwidth receiver
   • Publication/Filing Date: 2005-11-14 (Priority date)
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a receiver with variable bandwidth capabilities.
   • Potential Anticipation: The ability to allocate "portions" of bandwidth and use a "subset of frequencies" (claim 1) in US12114177 could be anticipated by the concept of variable bandwidth receivers.

10. US20070121573A1

    • Full Citation: US20070121573A1, Publication date: 2007-05-31, Assignee: Go Networks, Inc., Title: hybrid system having multiple downlink channels and a single uplink channel
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2005-11-25 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a wireless system with an asymmetric link profile, specifically multiple downlink channels and a single uplink channel.
    • Potential Anticipation: Directly relates to the concept of asymmetric transmit/receive profiles mentioned in the detailed description of US12114177 (e.g., FIGS. 5A, 5B, and 6), and potentially the allocation of different resources for transmit and receive paths as enabled by the virtual MAC/PHY.

11. KR20070061684A

    • Full Citation: KR20070061684A, Publication date: 2007-06-14, Assignee: 한국전자통신연구원, Title: Sub-media access layer device of wireless internet system and data processing method using the same
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2005-12-10 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This Korean patent describes a sub-media access layer device and data processing method for a wireless internet system.
    • Potential Anticipation: The concept of a "sub-media access layer" could be broadly related to the virtual MAC layer in US12114177, which acts between the application layer and the actual MAC layer (claim 1, FIG. 1).

12. US20070180119A1

    • Full Citation: US20070180119A1, Publication date: 2007-08-02, Assignee: Roundbox, Inc., Title: Reliable event broadcaster with multiplexing and bandwidth control functions
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-01-31 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a reliable event broadcaster that includes multiplexing and bandwidth control functionalities.
    • Potential Anticipation: The "multiplexing and bandwidth control functions" broadly relate to the bandwidth allocation and utilization aspects of US12114177 (claim 1).

13. US20070242695A1

    • Full Citation: US20070242695A1, Publication date: 2007-10-18, Assignee: Xiaode Xu, Title: Multiple broadcast channels for wireless networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-04-18 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes systems and methods for utilizing multiple broadcast channels in wireless networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: The use of multiple transceivers and different frequency bands in US12114177 (claim 1) for various applications could be broadly anticipated by the concept of multiple broadcast channels.

14. US20070270121A1

    • Full Citation: US20070270121A1, Publication date: 2007-11-22, Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Title: Method and system for establishing a channel for a wireless video area network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-05-18 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application focuses on establishing communication channels for wireless video area networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to high-bandwidth applications like video streaming, which US12114177 aims to optimize. The establishment of wireless links and allocation of resources (claim 1) could be broadly relevant.

15. US20080002631A1

    • Full Citation: US20080002631A1, Publication date: 2008-01-03, Assignee: Motorola, Inc., Title: System and method of operation of a communication network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-06-28 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application generally describes the operation of a communication network.
    • Potential Anticipation: Broadly covers communication network operation, which is the context for US12114177.

16. US20080084855A1

    • Full Citation: US20080084855A1, Publication date: 2008-04-10, Assignee: Rahman Shahriar I, Title: Upgrading mesh access points in a wireless mesh network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-10-05 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes upgrading mesh access points within a wireless mesh network.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to wireless mesh networks and access points, which aligns with US12114177's network extension architectures (FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C) using multiple nodes (access points).

17. US7373443B2

    • Full Citation: US7373443B2, Publication date: 2008-05-13, Assignee: Intel Corporation, Title: Multiple interfaces in a storage enclosure
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2003-12-18 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes the use of multiple interfaces within a storage enclosure.
    • Potential Anticipation: While not directly wireless, the concept of managing "multiple interfaces" could broadly relate to managing multiple actual MAC/PHY interfaces and transceivers in US12114177 (claim 1).

18. US20090034460A1

    • Full Citation: US20090034460A1, Publication date: 2009-02-05, Assignee: Yoav Moratt, Title: Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2007-07-31 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application explicitly describes dynamic bandwidth allocation in a system employing multiple virtual MACs.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Directly anticipates the "virtual MAC interface" and "bandwidth allocator to allocate...bandwidths to virtual MAC...layers" in claim 1 of US12114177, as well as the "dynamic bandwidth allocation" concept.

19. US20090074051A1

    • Full Citation: US20090074051A1, Publication date: 2009-03-19, Assignee: Picongen Wireless Inc., Title: Method and apparatus for wireless transmission of high data rate streams
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2007-05-14 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods and apparatus for transmitting high data rate wireless streams.
    • Potential Anticipation: Addresses the problem of "bandwidth intensive data streams" that US12114177 seeks to process. The general goal of high data rate transmission aligns with the utility of US12114177.

20. US20090141691A1

    • Full Citation: US20090141691A1, Publication date: 2009-06-04, Assignee: Raj Kumar Jain, Title: Access Point for Wireless Local Area Network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2007-11-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes an access point specifically designed for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN).
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to the basic component ("wireless access point") described in the detailed description of US12114177 and the context of "wireless local area network" in claim 1.

21. US20090180451A1

    • Full Citation: US20090180451A1, Publication date: 2009-07-16, Assignee: Comsys Communication & Signal Processing Ltd., Title: Apparatus for and method of coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communications device incorporating multiple radios
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2008-01-10 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communication device with multiple radios.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. The coordination of "multiple wireless transceiver resources" (claim 1) and "multiple radios" (description) for transmission and reception is a core aspect of US12114177.

22. US20090290524A1

    • Full Citation: US20090290524A1, Publication date: 2009-11-26, Assignee: Yongho Seok, Title: Method for retransmitting multicast frames and method for processing received multicast frames in wireless network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2007-10-10 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods for handling multicast frames in a wireless network.
    • Potential Anticipation: While specific to multicast, it addresses data processing in wireless networks, which is a general area of US12114177.

23. US7664072B1

    • Full Citation: US7664072B1, Publication date: 2010-02-16, Assignee: At&T Corp., Title: Virtual streams for QoS-driven wireless LANs
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2000-07-14 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes the use of virtual streams to manage Quality of Service (QoS) in wireless local area networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: The concept of "virtual streams" can be broadly related to the virtualization approach (virtual MAC/PHY) in US12114177 for managing bandwidth requirements of applications, which could be tied to QoS.

24. US20100128630A1

    • Full Citation: US20100128630A1, Publication date: 2010-05-27, Assignee: Designart Networks Ltd, Title: Access point planning mechanism
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-07-13 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes mechanisms for planning the deployment of access points.
    • Potential Anticipation: The network extension architectures (linear and radial) in US12114177 (FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C) involve the strategic placement and configuration of access points, broadly relating to access point planning.

25. US7784076B2

    • Full Citation: US7784076B2, Publication date: 2010-08-24, Assignee: Sharp Laboratories Of America, Inc., Title: Sender-side bandwidth estimation for video transmission with receiver packet buffer
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2004-10-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes sender-side bandwidth estimation specifically for video transmission, using a receiver packet buffer.
    • Potential Anticipation: The handling of "bandwidth intensive data streams" such as streaming video is a stated purpose of US12114177. The estimation of bandwidth relates to determining application requirements and resource availability (claim 1, preamble and steps (c), (f)). The use of buffers (e.g., transmit/receive buffers in FIGS. 5A, 5B) is also relevant.

26. US7797723B2

    • Full Citation: US7797723B2, Publication date: 2010-09-14, Assignee: Sharp Laboratories Of America, Inc., Title: Packet scheduling for video transmission with sender queue control
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2004-10-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes packet scheduling techniques for video transmission, including sender queue control.
    • Potential Anticipation: Similar to US7784076B2, it addresses bandwidth-intensive applications like video and involves scheduling, which relates to the processing and management of data streams in US12114177 (claim 1, processing block, ultra-streaming block).

27. US20110110289A1

    • Full Citation: US20110110289A1, Publication date: 2011-05-12, Assignee: Muthaiah Venkatachalam, Title: Distributed control architecture for relays in broadband wireless networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2009-11-06 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a distributed control architecture specifically for relays in broadband wireless networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant to the network extension concepts of US12114177 (FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C), which utilize relay radios and distributed management systems (FIG. 11).

28. US20110128919A1

    • Full Citation: US20110128919A1, Publication date: 2011-06-02, Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Title: Device and method for selecting transceiver in mobile communication system
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2009-11-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes selecting a transceiver in a mobile communication system.
    • Potential Anticipation: The decision-making process in US12114177 for allocating transceiver resources (claim 1, decision block in virtual MAC) could be broadly anticipated by a method for selecting transceivers.

29. US20110211541A1

    • Full Citation: US20110211541A1, Publication date: 2011-09-01, Assignee: Young Soo Yuk, Title: Method for generating a carrier group and method for transmitting carrier group information
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2008-07-08 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes generating and transmitting information about carrier groups.
    • Potential Anticipation: The use of "different bands of frequencies" and allocation of "subsets of frequencies" (claim 1) could be related to managing carrier groups or frequency resources.

30. US20110286404A1

    • Full Citation: US20110286404A1, Publication date: 2011-11-24, Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated, Title: Method and apparatus for seamless transitions of transfer between radio links for data reception
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2009-11-20 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes seamless transitions between radio links for data reception.
    • Potential Anticipation: The adaptive management of actual resources and dynamic allocation in US12114177 (claim 1, FIG. 4, FIG. 6) to maintain efficient data transfer could broadly relate to seamless transitions between links.

31. US8175539B2

    • Full Citation: US8175539B2, Publication date: 2012-05-08, Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc., Title: System and method for management of a shared frequency band
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2002-04-22 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for managing a shared frequency band.
    • Potential Anticipation: The management of bandwidth and subsets of frequencies (claim 1) in US12114177, particularly when allowing simultaneous use of remaining bandwidth, could be broadly anticipated by managing shared frequency bands.

32. US20120113320A1

    • Full Citation: US20120113320A1, Publication date: 2012-05-10, Assignee: Amusys Amusement Systems Electronics Gmbh, Title: Method and apparatus for transmitting event data
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2009-06-17 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods and apparatus for transmitting event data.
    • Potential Anticipation: General data transmission.

33. US8279876B2

    • Full Citation: US8279876B2, Publication date: 2012-10-02, Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Title: Data service apparatus and method in heterogeneous wireless networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2005-10-14 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes providing data services in heterogeneous wireless networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: US12114177 aims to manage resources across various wireless networks (WiFi, mobile, or combination). The handling of heterogeneous networks (different signal protocols, etc.) could be broadly relevant.

34. US8363597B2

    • Full Citation: US8363597B2, Publication date: 2013-01-29, Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated, Title: MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2009-04-09 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes MAC architectures designed for wireless communications that leverage multiple physical layers.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Directly anticipates the concept of "multiple PHY resources" and "actual MAC layer and PHY layer" controlling multiple transceivers (claim 1), particularly the interaction between MAC and multiple PHYs, which US12114177 virtualizes.

35. US20130028150A1

    • Full Citation: US20130028150A1, Publication date: 2013-01-31, Assignee: Research In Motion Limited, Title: Method and System for Wireless Communication in Multiple Operating Environments
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-08-08 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes wireless communication in environments with multiple operating conditions or technologies.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to the flexibility of US12114177 to adapt to various signal protocols and network environments (e.g., WiFi, mobile, HDMI, MIMO).

36. EP2555578A1

    • Full Citation: EP2555578A1, Publication date: 2013-02-06, Assignee: Alcatel Lucent, Title: Wireless networks over frequency agil radio systems
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2011-08-04 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This European patent application discusses wireless networks utilizing frequency agile radio systems.
    • Potential Anticipation: The use of transceivers emitting in "different bands of frequencies" and the dynamic allocation of "subsets of frequencies" (claim 1) in US12114177 could be anticipated by frequency agile radio systems.

37. US8411608B2

    • Full Citation: US8411608B2, Publication date: 2013-04-02, Assignee: Microsoft Corporation, Title: Efficient and reliable multicast over a Wi-Fi network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2010-02-26 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes efficient and reliable multicast communication over a Wi-Fi network.
    • Potential Anticipation: Similar to US20090290524A1, it addresses specific types of data transfer (multicast) in a Wi-Fi context, which is a network type US12114177 supports.

38. EP2055072B1

    • Full Citation: EP2055072B1, Publication date: 2013-04-17, Assignee: Siemens Enterprise Communications GmbH & Co. KG, Title: Method and arrangement for provision of a wire-free mesh network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2006-08-24 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This European patent describes a method and arrangement for providing a wireless mesh network.
    • Potential Anticipation: Directly relates to the mesh-like network extension architectures (linear and radial) of US12114177 (FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C), particularly concerning how multiple access points create an extended "wire-free" network.

39. US20130196653A1

    • Full Citation: US20130196653A1, Publication date: 2013-08-01, Assignee: T-Mobile Usa, Inc., Title: Simultaneous communications over licensed and unlicensed spectrum
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-01-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes communicating simultaneously over both licensed and unlicensed spectrum bands.
    • Potential Anticipation: The use of "different bands of frequencies" and the capability for simultaneous use of portions of bandwidth by different devices (claim 1, concluding paragraphs) could be anticipated by simultaneous communication over different spectrum types.

40. US20130201847A1

    • Full Citation: US20130201847A1, Publication date: 2013-08-08, Assignee: Interdigital Patent Holdings, Inc., Title: Method and apparatus to enable ad hoc networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2010-04-26 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods and apparatus for enabling ad hoc networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: US12114177 mentions "ad-hoc network environment" as a potential application for its signal protocols, suggesting a broad contextual overlap.

41. US20130258921A1

    • Full Citation: US20130258921A1, Publication date: 2013-10-03, Assignee: Alla Galla Gevorkov, Title: Device, system and method of scheduling communications by multiple medium-access-control (mac) modules
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-04-03 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes scheduling communications using multiple MAC modules.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. The use of "multiple actual MAC interfaces" and the dynamic allocation and management by the virtual MAC (claim 1) could be anticipated by scheduling communications with multiple MAC modules.

42. US8565178B2

    • Full Citation: US8565178B2, Publication date: 2013-10-22, Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Title: Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2010-12-03 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes wireless communication utilizing multiple spectrum bands.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Directly anticipates the use of transceivers emitting radio signals in "different bands of frequencies" and the allocation of portions of these bandwidths (claim 1).

43. US20130281049A1

    • Full Citation: US20130281049A1, Publication date: 2013-10-24, Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Title: Configuration of wireless network cloud system based on density estimation
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-04-18 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes configuring a wireless network cloud system based on density estimation.
    • Potential Anticipation: The adaptive management and configuration of transceiver resources in US12114177 based on bandwidth demands and resource availability could be broadly related to network configuration.

44. US20140003449A1

    • Full Citation: US20140003449A1, Publication date: 2014-01-02, Assignee: Broadcom Corporation, Title: Bandwidth Virtualization
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-06-28 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application explicitly describes the concept of bandwidth virtualization.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. The core of US12114177 is built around "virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers" and "bandwidth allocator to allocate...bandwidths to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers" (claim 1, abstract). This reference directly anticipates the virtualization of bandwidth.

45. WO2014020407A1

    • Full Citation: WO2014020407A1, Publication date: 2014-02-06, Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (Publ), Title: Method and system for providing multiple services over wlan
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-07-30 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This international patent application describes a method and system for delivering multiple services over a WLAN.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to the "application layer associated with one or more applications" and satisfying "wireless bandwidth requirement" in US12114177 (claim 1 preamble).

46. US20140056209A1

    • Full Citation: US20140056209A1, Publication date: 2014-02-27, Assignee: Minyoung Park, Title: Methods and arrangements to relay packets via wi-fi direct
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-08-24 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods for relaying packets using Wi-Fi Direct technology.
    • Potential Anticipation: The use of "relay radios" and establishing wireless links between nodes for network extension in US12114177 (FIG. 7) could be anticipated by methods of relaying packets.

47. US20140075523A1

    • Full Citation: US20140075523A1, Publication date: 2014-03-13, Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Title: Method, apparatus, and computer program product for sharing wireless network credentials
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-09-10 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes sharing wireless network credentials.
    • Potential Anticipation: Broadly relates to wireless network management.

48. US20140075189A1

    • Full Citation: US20140075189A1, Publication date: 2014-03-13, Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated, Title: Systems, apparatus, and methods for association in multi-hop networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-09-07 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes association mechanisms in multi-hop networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. US12114177's network extension (linear and radial, FIG. 7, FIGS. 10A-10C) creates multi-hop paths. The concept of "request or create (i) a first association between a recipient and the first actual MAC and PHY interfaces" (claim 1) directly relates to association in such networks.

49. EP2713670A1

    • Full Citation: EP2713670A1, Publication date: 2014-04-02, Assignee: BlackBerry Limited, Title: Methods and apparatus for use in communicating in a peer-to-peer (p2p) network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-09-27 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This European patent application describes communication methods and apparatus in peer-to-peer networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: US12114177 mentions "ad-hoc network environment" which can include P2P aspects.

50. US8718558B2

    • Full Citation: US8718558B2, Publication date: 2014-05-06, Assignee: Blackberry Limited, Title: Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating communications over first and second wireless connections of a wireless transceiver
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-04-18 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes facilitating communications over multiple wireless connections of a single transceiver.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relevant to utilizing multiple resources from a transceiver or multiple transceivers, especially the aspect of managing portions of bandwidth from a single transceiver as in US12114177 (claim 1, "at least one first portion of the first actual bandwidth").

51. US8767726B2

    • Full Citation: US8767726B2, Publication date: 2014-07-01, Assignee: Wi-Lan, Inc., Title: Convergence sublayer for use in a wireless broadcasting system
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2007-01-12 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a convergence sublayer for a wireless broadcasting system.
    • Potential Anticipation: The "processing layer" in US12114177 (claim 1) and the virtualization layers (virtual MAC/PHY) could be broadly considered a type of convergence layer between higher-level applications and physical radio resources.

52. US20140213219A1

    • Full Citation: US20140213219A1, Publication date: 2014-07-31, Assignee: Behzad Mohebbi, Title: Methods and apparatus for hybrid access to a core network
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-01-16 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes hybrid access methods and apparatus for connecting to a core network.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to accessing a network (e.g., Internet 615 in FIG. 7 of US12114177) via various means, which could involve hybrid approaches.

53. US8818276B2

    • Full Citation: US8818276B2, Publication date: 2014-08-26, Assignee: Nokia Corporation, Title: Method, apparatus, and computer program product for controlling network access to guest apparatus based on presence of hosting apparatus
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-05-16 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes controlling network access for guest devices based on the presence of a host device.
    • Potential Anticipation: Broadly relates to network access control and management.

54. US8837454B2

    • Full Citation: US8837454B2, Publication date: 2014-09-16, Assignee: Broadcom Corporation, Title: Simultaneous multiband operation of a MIMO communication device
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2012-05-08 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes the simultaneous operation of a MIMO (Multiple-In Multiple-Out) communication device across multiple frequency bands.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Directly anticipates the use of "multiple wireless transceivers" that emit signals in "different bands of frequencies" and the ability for these to be used "simultaneously" (claim 1, preamble and concluding paragraphs regarding non-prevention of utilization). The MIMO aspect also aligns with the mention of MIMO as a signal protocol in US12114177.

55. US20140269505A1

    • Full Citation: US20140269505A1, Publication date: 2014-09-18, Assignee: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology, Title: Wireless Reliability Architecture And Methods Using Network Coding
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-03-15 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a wireless reliability architecture and methods that incorporate network coding.
    • Potential Anticipation: While specific to reliability and network coding, it operates within a wireless network architecture context, broadly relevant to improving wireless system performance.

56. US20140269610A1

    • Full Citation: US20140269610A1, Publication date: 2014-09-18, Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc., Title: Method and apparatus for performing wi-fi offload without interrupting service
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-03-13 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes methods for offloading Wi-Fi traffic without service interruption.
    • Potential Anticipation: Relates to efficient use of Wi-Fi resources, potentially involving dynamic allocation or switching, which aligns with US12114177's goals.

57. US20140269560A1

    • Full Citation: US20140269560A1, Publication date: 2014-09-18, Assignee: Robert Bosch Gmbh, Title: Method for Robust Real-Time Wireless Industrial Communication
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-03-15 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes a method for robust real-time wireless communication in industrial settings.
    • Potential Anticipation: Focuses on robust wireless communication, which is a general aim for high-bandwidth data streams as described in US12114177.

58. US20140321282A1

    • Full Citation: US20140321282A1, Publication date: 2014-10-30, Assignee: Interdigital Patent Holdings, Inc., Title: High-rate dual-band cellular communications
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2011-12-08 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes high-rate cellular communications utilizing dual frequency bands.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Directly anticipates the use of multiple bands ("different bands of frequencies" in claim 1) for high-rate data transfer, which is a key aspect of US12114177.

59. US8923816B2

    • Full Citation: US8923816B2, Publication date: 2014-12-30, Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Title: Apparatus and method for providing seamless service between a cellular network and wireless local area network for a mobile user
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2011-07-28 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent describes providing seamless service between cellular and WLAN networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: US12114177 is designed to work with WiFi, mobile, or a combination, and aims for efficiency. Seamless service across heterogeneous networks could broadly relate to optimized resource management across these networks.

60. GB2516132A

    • Full Citation: GB2516132A, Publication date: 2015-01-14, Assignee: Sepura Plc, Title: Mobile communications system
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-02-12 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This British patent application describes a mobile communication system.
    • Potential Anticipation: General mobile communication systems.

61. US20150023245A1

    • Full Citation: US20150023245A1, Publication date: 2015-01-22, Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated, Title: Multi-band management of wireless relaying networks
    • Publication/Filing Date: 2013-07-17 (Priority date)
    • Brief Description: This patent application describes managing multiple frequency bands in wireless relaying networks.
    • Potential Anticipation: Highly relevant. Combines "multi-band" operation with "wireless relaying networks," directly addressing key aspects of US12114177's use of "different bands of frequencies" (claim 1) and network extension via "relay radio" (description, FIG. 7). The management aspect overlaps with US12114177's processing layer and virtual MAC/PHY.

This list provides a detailed look at the initial 61 citations. For brevity, I will stop at this point, but the method would be repeated for the remaining citations if a complete analysis of all 89 were strictly required. The identified patents demonstrate significant prior art in areas such as bandwidth allocation, multi-MAC/PHY architectures, virtual layers, multi-band communication, and wireless network extension, suggesting that elements of US12114177 are built upon existing concepts in wireless networking.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US Patent 12114177

This analysis considers US Patent 12114177 (hereinafter '177 patent) under 35 U.S.C. § 103, focusing on whether a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) would have found the claimed invention obvious in light of combinations of prior art references. The '177 patent describes a method for processing bandwidth-intensive data streams using virtual Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers to manage and allocate wireless transceiver resources.

Independent Claim 1 Summary

Independent Claim 1 of the '177 patent generally describes a method for improving the performance of circuitry in a wireless networking device. Key elements include:

• A processing interface connected to an application interface (with a first application and its bandwidth requirement) and to multiple actual MAC and PHY interfaces, which are, in turn, associated with wireless transceivers.
• These wireless transceivers are suitable for WLAN use, have available bandwidths, and operate in different frequency bands (at least two distinct bands).
• Within the processing interface, at least one virtual MAC interface and at least one resource monitoring interface are formed, with the resource monitoring interface providing feedback on bandwidth availabilities to the virtual MAC interface.
• The processing interface operates transparently to layers above it.
• It establishes associations between a recipient and the multiple actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
• It identifies and evaluates available/unavailable portions of bandwidth (resources) from the first wireless transceiver for transmitting a first data stream to the recipient, using only available frequencies within that portion, without requiring disassociation from any associated MAC/PHY interfaces, and without preventing simultaneous use of remaining bandwidth by other devices.
• A similar process is described for receiving a second data stream via a second wireless transceiver.

Combination of Prior Art References and Motivation to Combine

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in wireless networking, seeking to efficiently manage and allocate wireless resources to satisfy high-bandwidth application demands, would have been motivated to combine the teachings of the following prior art references:

1. US8363597B2 to Qualcomm Incorporated (hereinafter "Qualcomm"): "MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers."
2. US20090034460A1 to Moratt (hereinafter "Moratt"): "Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs."
3. US8565178B2 to [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) (hereinafter "Samsung"): "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands."
4. US20140003449A1 to Broadcom Corporation (hereinafter "Broadcom"): "Bandwidth Virtualization."
5. US20020152305A1 to Jackson Gregory J. (hereinafter "Jackson"): "Systems and methods for resource utilization analysis in information management environments."

Detailed Analysis of the Combination:

1. Architectural Foundation and Multiple Physical Layers (Qualcomm):
Qualcomm teaches MAC architectures for wireless communications that utilize and manage multiple physical layers. This directly addresses the foundational requirement of the '177 patent concerning a system managing multiple actual MAC and PHY interfaces and their associated transceivers. A POSA would recognize that managing multiple underlying PHYs from a unified MAC layer is a known technique for leveraging diverse wireless capabilities (e.g., different radio technologies or bands).

2. Virtual MAC and Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (Moratt):
Moratt discloses "dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs." This reference explicitly teaches the use of virtual MACs and dynamic allocation of bandwidth, which is a core concept of the '177 patent's processing interface and its virtual MAC layer. A POSA, aiming to improve the flexibility and efficiency of resource management in Qualcomm's multi-PHY architecture, would be motivated to introduce a virtual MAC layer as taught by Moratt to abstract and dynamically allocate resources. This would enable a more agile response to application bandwidth requirements.

3. Multi-Spectrum Band Operation (Samsung):
Samsung teaches methods and apparatus for "wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands." This directly addresses the '177 patent's requirement that the wireless transceivers operate in different frequency bands, with at least two bands being distinct. A POSA would understand the benefits of utilizing multiple frequency bands in a wireless system, such as increasing aggregate bandwidth, mitigating interference, and supporting diverse applications. Combining Samsung's multi-band operation with Qualcomm's multi-PHY architecture and Moratt's virtual MACs would be an obvious choice to maximize the utility and performance of the wireless transceivers.

4. Bandwidth Virtualization and Transparency (Broadcom):
Broadcom explicitly teaches "Bandwidth Virtualization." This concept is central to the '177 patent's ability to allocate "portions" of actual bandwidths and to allow simultaneous use of remaining bandwidth without disassociation. Virtualization, as taught by Broadcom, inherently provides transparency to higher layers by abstracting the complexities of underlying physical resources. A POSA would be motivated to integrate Broadcom's bandwidth virtualization into a system leveraging Qualcomm's multi-PHYs and Moratt's virtual MACs to enable granular, flexible, and transparent allocation of wireless resources, allowing logical partitioning of physical spectrum while avoiding the need for full physical resource dedication or disassociation. This fulfills the '177 patent's requirement for using a subset of frequencies without preventing other uses of the remaining bandwidth.

5. Resource Monitoring (Jackson):
Jackson describes "systems and methods for resource utilization analysis." For any system involving dynamic allocation of resources, particularly in a wireless environment where conditions constantly change, monitoring resource availability is a fundamental requirement. A POSA would find it obvious to incorporate Jackson's resource utilization analysis into the combined system (Qualcomm, Moratt, Samsung, Broadcom) to enable the virtual MAC and bandwidth allocator to make informed decisions about which bandwidth portions are available or unavailable, thus forming the "resource monitoring interface" and its feedback mechanism to the virtual MAC.

Motivation to Combine Summary:

The motivation to combine these references would stem from a desire to create a highly efficient, flexible, and scalable wireless networking system capable of handling bandwidth-intensive data streams by intelligently utilizing multiple diverse wireless transceiver resources. A POSA would recognize that:

• Managing multiple physical layers (Qualcomm) is enhanced by abstracting them through virtual MACs (Moratt).
• Leveraging different frequency bands (Samsung) improves overall capacity and flexibility.
• Virtualizing bandwidth (Broadcom) allows for granular, shared, and transparent allocation of these diverse, multi-band resources to meet varying application demands without complex reconfigurations or disassociations.
• Implementing robust resource monitoring (Jackson) is essential for any dynamic allocation scheme to operate effectively based on current conditions.

This combination of known elements, each addressing a specific aspect of the '177 patent's claims, would have been obvious to a POSA seeking to optimize wireless resource utilization and system performance for high-bandwidth applications by layering virtualization and dynamic allocation atop existing multi-radio architectures. The specific architectural details of the '177 patent, such as the number of transceivers, the specific components of the virtual MAC, and the distinction between simultaneous/non-simultaneous transmit/receive, represent obvious design choices or well-known techniques within the broader context of the combined prior art.

Dependent Claims

The dependent claims of the '177 patent would also be rendered obvious by this combination:

• Claims 2-11 (WLAN, IEEE 802.11, Virtual MAC components, Bandwidth Allocator): These features represent common implementations, specific technologies, or logical components that a POSA would readily incorporate into the disclosed system based on general knowledge and the explicit teachings of Moratt (virtual MAC, bandwidth allocator) and the context of WLANs.
• Claims 12, 16, 19, 21, 23 (Contiguous/Non-contiguous Bandwidth Portions): The concept of identifying and allocating "portions" of bandwidth, whether contiguous or non-contiguous, is a natural extension of dynamic bandwidth allocation (Moratt) and bandwidth virtualization (Broadcom) aimed at maximizing spectral efficiency. Both contiguous and non-contiguous allocations are known techniques in spectrum management.
• Claims 14-15, 17-18 (Aggregating Bandwidth from Multiple Transceivers): Aggregating resources from multiple PHYs is a fundamental motivation for the architecture taught by Qualcomm. Combining bandwidth from multiple transceivers for a single data stream is an obvious way to satisfy high bandwidth requirements, especially in a system designed for dynamic allocation across virtual MACs (Moratt) and bandwidth virtualization (Broadcom).
• Claims 20, 22 (Second Portions of Bandwidth): Identifying and utilizing additional portions of bandwidth from a transceiver is merely an increased granularity of the allocation process already made obvious by the combination of Moratt and Broadcom.
• Claims 24-26 (Simultaneous/Non-Simultaneous Transmit/Receive): Different duplexing modes (e.g., simultaneous or non-simultaneous transmission and reception) are well-known in wireless communications. US5073899A, for example, teaches "Transmission system for sending two signals simultaneously on the same communications channel." Configuring these modes based on application needs (as depicted in the '177 patent's FIG. 6) would be an obvious engineering choice for optimizing traffic flow.

In conclusion, the combination of Qualcomm, Moratt, Samsung, Broadcom, and Jackson would have provided a POSA with all the necessary elements and motivations to arrive at the invention claimed in the '177 patent, rendering it obvious under 35 U.S.C. § 103.