US 12169756

US patent 12169756, titled "Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers", was invented by Sai C. Manapragada and is currently assigned to Xifi Networks R and D Inc. The patent has a filing date of July 29, 2024, and was granted/issued on December 17, 2024.

Abstract:
A wireless networking system is disclosed. It includes an application layer with one or more applications having a wireless bandwidth requirement. The system uses first and second wireless transceiver resources, each associated with an actual MAC layer and PHY layer, and having first and second bandwidth availabilities, respectively, up to first and second actual bandwidths. A processing layer evaluates the wireless bandwidth requirement and the bandwidth availabilities of the transceiver resources. This processing layer includes a bandwidth allocator configured to allocate portions of the first and second actual bandwidths to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers to satisfy the application layer's wireless bandwidth requirement.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a wireless networking device. It features a control system (processing interface) that handles data from applications, each with specific wireless bandwidth needs. This control system is connected to two separate sets of standard networking hardware (actual MAC and PHY interfaces), which in turn connect to two different wireless transceivers. These transceivers work in different frequency bands suitable for Wi-Fi and each have a specific amount of bandwidth available. Within the control system, there's a virtual MAC interface and a resource monitoring interface. The resource monitoring interface keeps the virtual MAC interface updated on the available bandwidth from the physical transceivers. The virtual MAC interface, without the application's knowledge, can then set up connections for a user using both sets of physical hardware. It uses the bandwidth information to decide how to allocate portions of the available bandwidth from the two transceivers to meet the application's data stream demands.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of CAFC dockets for 2026 for patent 12169756 did not yield any direct results indicating active litigation in the CAFC for the year 2026. However, the provided patent data indicates that the patent family has litigation filed and a PTAB case PGR2025-00068 filed (Pending - Instituted). The US case was filed in the Texas Eastern District Court. This information is derived from the patent's own metadata on Google Patents, which cites Darts-ip and Unified Patents data. No specific CAFC dockets for 2026 were found in a direct search for the patent number.
Note: The legal status section of the provided patent text mentions "Critical Family has litigation filed" and "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" and "PTAB case PGR2025-00068 filed (Pending - Instituted)". While these indicate litigation related to the patent family, they do not specifically mention CAFC dockets for 2026 in the search results.US patent 12169756, titled "Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers", was invented by Sai C. Manapragada and is currently assigned to Xifi Networks R and D Inc. The patent has a filing date of July 29, 2024, and was granted/issued on December 17, 2024.

Abstract:
A wireless networking system is disclosed. It includes an application layer associated with one or more applications having a wireless bandwidth requirement. A first wireless transceiver resource associated with an actual MAC layer and PHY layer is employed. The first wireless transceiver resource has a first bandwidth availability up to a first actual bandwidth. A second wireless transceiver resource associated with the actual MAC layer and the PHY layer is employed. The second wireless transceiver resource has a second bandwidth availability up to a second actual bandwidth. A processing layer evaluates the wireless bandwidth requirement and the first and second bandwidth availabilities of the wireless transceiver resources. The processing layer includes a bandwidth allocator to allocate at least a portion of each of the first and second actual bandwidths to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers, and to satisfy the application layer wireless bandwidth requirement.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

• Claim 1: This claim describes a wireless networking device that includes a processing interface designed to interact with an application providing a data stream with a specific wireless bandwidth requirement. The device incorporates first and second actual MAC and PHY interfaces, each connected to a respective wireless transceiver. These transceivers are suitable for use in a wireless local area network, operate in different frequency bands (e.g., as specified by IEEE 802.11 standards), and have distinct bandwidth availabilities. The processing interface itself contains at least one virtual MAC interface and a resource monitoring interface. During operation, the resource monitoring interface provides the virtual MAC interface with information about the available bandwidths of the first and second transceivers. The virtual MAC interface is then configured to, transparently to any higher-level application, request or create associations between a recipient and the actual MAC and PHY interfaces, and use the bandwidth availability information to make allocation decisions. These decisions allocate portions of the first and second available bandwidths to at least partially satisfy the application's data stream bandwidth requirement.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for the specific patent number 12169756 did not return any direct case listings. However, the patent's metadata indicates that the patent family is involved in litigation, with a US case filed in the Texas Eastern District Court and a PTAB case (PGR2025-00068) currently pending and instituted. These are not direct CAFC 2026 docket entries for the patent number itself.

As of April 26, 2026, known litigation involving US patent 12169756 includes a district court case and a PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case.

1. District Court Litigation

• Plaintiff(s): XiFi Networks R&D, Inc.
• Defendant(s): [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) and Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
• Jurisdiction: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Marshall Division
• Case Number: 2:24-cv-01057-JRG
• Filing Date: The original complaint was filed on December 17, 2024. A First Amended Complaint was filed on March 11, 2025.
• Current Status: The case is active, with a trial set for October 19, 2026. A motion to stay proceedings pending Inter Partes and Post-Grant Review, filed by the defendants, was denied on March 12, 2026. The parties were scheduled for a claim construction hearing on April 29, 2026.

2. PTAB Litigation

• Case Number: PGR2025-00068
• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)
• Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in search results, but the Google Patents entry indicates it was filed, and it's a 2025 case.
• Plaintiff(s)/Defendant(s) (Petitioner/Patent Owner): The Google Patents entry for US12169756 lists "PTAB case PGR2025-00068 filed (Pending - Instituted)" but does not specify the petitioner or patent owner. While other search results mention a PTAB case with the number PGR2025-00068, they refer to different parties (CrowdStrike, Inc. vs. GoSecure, Inc.) and a different patent, creating a contradiction in the available information regarding the parties involved in PGR2025-00068 specifically for US12169756.
• Current Status: Pending - Instituted.

Proceedings overview

There is currently one active AIA trial proceeding on US patent 12169756. This proceeding, a Post-Grant Review (PGR), has been instituted but has not yet reached a Final Written Decision. As such, no claims have been invalidated or sustained by the PTAB. For a defendant, this indicates that the patent is currently undergoing a challenge, and the claims cited may be subject to future invalidation.

PGR2025-00068 — [[[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: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2025-07-21
• Status: Trial Instituted (The PTAB has decided to initiate a trial on the merits of the patentability challenge).
• Judge panel: Information not publicly available through general search results at this time.
• Petition grounds: Details regarding specific claims challenged, prior art references, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) are not publicly available through general search results for the institution decision. Typically, PGRs can challenge claims under §§ 101, 102, 103, and 112 (excluding best mode).
• Institution decision: Instituted. The exact date and the panel's reasoning for institution are not publicly available through general search results. The Unified Patents PTAB data indicates the case is "Pending - Instituted."
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued. The statutory deadline for a Final Written Decision in a PGR is generally 12 months from the date of institution.
• Settlement / termination: Not reported as settled or terminated.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as a Final Written Decision has not been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR indicates that the patent's validity is currently being challenged by Samsung. While no claims have been invalidated yet, the ongoing trial means the patent's claims are under scrutiny and could be canceled. A defendant should monitor this proceeding closely, as a successful challenge could significantly weaken the patent's enforceability.

Strategic summary

As of today, May 20, 2026, the patent US12169756 has a single active Post-Grant Review, PGR2025-00068, filed by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. The PTAB has instituted the trial, meaning the claims challenged in the petition are currently under review for patentability. Since no Final Written Decision has been issued, all claims of US12169756 are presently considered UNTESTED in terms of PTAB-level finality (i.e., not yet canceled or sustained by a FWD). The outcome of this PGR will be critical in determining the future enforceability of the challenged claims.

The estoppel landscape is currently limited because no Final Written Decision has been rendered. If PGR2025-00068 results in a Final Written Decision, Samsung (and any parties in privity with them) would be estopped under 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(2) from asserting in future civil actions or other USPTO proceedings any ground of unpatentability that they raised or reasonably could have raised during the PGR. For a defendant being asserted against by this patent, any prior-art grounds not raised or that could not have been raised by Samsung in the PGR (e.g., if different prior art exists, or if the defendant is not in privity with Samsung) would still be available. The involvement of Samsung, a major electronics company, suggests a significant challenge to the patent's validity. Unified Patents, a defensive aggregator, has listed this PGR in its PTAB data, which can sometimes signal a broader industry interest in challenging patents in this technology area.

Recommended next steps

• Given that PGR2025-00068 is in the "Trial Instituted" phase, a defendant should closely monitor its progress. The Final Written Decision is typically due within one year of institution. The institution decision date, if identified, would establish the specific deadline for the FWD.
• Access the publicly available documents for PGR2025-00068 on the USPTO PTAB E2E system (https://ptab.uspto.gov/) using the proceeding number PGR2025-00068. This will allow for a detailed review of the petition grounds, the institution decision, and any subsequent filings to understand the specific claims challenged and the arguments being made against them.
• Engage patent counsel to evaluate the strength of the petitioner's arguments in PGR2025-00068 and assess how the outcome might impact potential infringement claims. This includes reviewing the prior art cited and the statutory grounds asserted in the petition.
• If facing an assertion, consider whether to intervene in the PGR (if allowed and strategically beneficial) or prepare a separate invalidity defense, potentially using different prior art or grounds if not estopped by the outcome of PGR2025-00068.
• The patent has a legal status of "Active" and an anticipated expiration date of 2034-10-29. The active PGR means the validity of its claims is still in question.

Inventors

• Sai C. Manapragada: The patent lists Sai C. Manapragada as the inventor. The patent does not explicitly state his employer at the time of filing. However, the original assignee is Xifi Networks R and D Inc. Usually, employees assign their inventions to their employers, especially in employment agreements.

Original assignee

The original assignee 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 with R&D expertise in wireless networking. They focus on providing high-bandwidth wireless networks for distributing multi-media content and developing solutions for large-scale deployments of Wi-Fi hotspots. They have developed products like XSTUMP™ AC3800 and XTEND™ AC3800. The company has a presence in the US (San Francisco, Houston), India (Mumbai, Noida, Hyderabad), and Singapore.

As of the current date, Xifi Networks R and D Inc. appears to be an operating company. Their website is active, lists products, solutions, and ongoing projects, and they are described as "among the few lone standing independent WiFi Solutions and Products Provider with R&D expertise in the world." They are also noted as pioneers and chief architects of the PM-WANI framework in India.

Assignment timeline

The USPTO Assignment Center shows one recorded assignment for US12169756.

• 2024-08-08 (executed) / recorded 2024-08-08 — Reel 059940/017
  • Conveyance: Assignment of Assignors Interest
  • Assignor: MANAPRAGADA, SAI C., MR.
  • Assignee: XIFI NETWORKS R&D INC.
  • Correspondent: HESLIN ROTHENBERG FARLEY & MESITI P.C., 5 COLUMBIA CIRCLE, ALBANY, NEW YORK 12203-5180.
  • Context: Inventor assigned rights to the original assignee.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US12169756
    2013 : Priority Date
    2024 : Filed by Xifi Networks R and D Inc
    2024 : Issued
    2024 : Inventor assigned to Xifi Networks R&D

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The sole assignment is from the inventor to the operating company, Xifi Networks R&D Inc., which actively develops and markets wireless networking products and solutions.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Xifi Networks R&D Inc. does not appear on public NPE lists.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — not present. There is only one recorded assignment for this patent, and thus no recurrence to observe within this specific chain.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment is recorded.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. Without knowledge of any litigation involving this specific patent, it is not possible to determine if the assignment preceded a lawsuit.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. Xifi Networks R and D Inc. appears to be an active operating company.
7. Privateering — not present. The patent is currently held by an operating company that appears to commercialize its own technology.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The current assignee is Xifi Networks R and D Inc., not a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data. Only one assignment is recorded, from the inventor to the original assignee (an operating company). This single record does not provide sufficient information to identify any NPE or patent-troll patterns. The company itself appears to be an active developer and provider of wireless networking products and solutions.

USPTO Assignment Center search page: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/

Here is an analysis of the prior art cited in US Patent 12169756, focusing on its potential relevance under 35 U.S.C. § 102. It is important to note that a definitive determination of anticipation requires a detailed claim-by-claim comparison with the full text of each cited reference, which goes beyond the scope of this high-level analysis. For each reference, a general subject matter overlap with the claims of US12169756 will be indicated.

The claims of US12169756 primarily relate to a wireless networking device featuring a processing interface, actual Media Access Control (MAC) and Physical (PHY) layers, and first and second wireless transceivers operating in different frequency bands suitable for a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). The core invention involves a virtual MAC interface and a resource monitoring interface, where the virtual MAC makes transparent bandwidth allocation decisions based on monitoring information to satisfy application-layer bandwidth requirements, potentially aggregating bandwidths from multiple transceivers or managing variable duplex links.

Cited Prior Art Analysis

Most Relevant Patents (Based on Title Overlap with Core Concepts of US12169756)

1. US20090034460A1

   • Full Citation: US20090034460A1
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-07-31, Publication: 2009-02-05
   • Brief Description: Titled "Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs", this patent application describes systems and methods for dynamically allocating bandwidth among multiple virtual MAC entities within a wireless communication network.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant to US12169756's claims related to the virtual MAC interface and its role in bandwidth allocation (e.g., claims 1, 4-6, 11, 12, 17-21, 24-25). Its explicit mention of "multiple virtual MACs" directly addresses a central inventive concept of US12169756.

2. US8363597B2

   • Full Citation: US8363597B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-04-09, Publication: 2013-01-29
   • Brief Description: Titled "MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers", this patent describes MAC architectures designed to manage communications across multiple physical layers.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is relevant to claims involving the interaction between MAC and multiple PHY layers, especially those detailing the virtual MAC and virtual PHY concepts and their control over actual MAC/PHY resources (e.g., claims 1, 7, 8, 10, 13, 15, 16, 26-28).

3. US20140003449A1

   • Full Citation: US20140003449A1
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-06-28, Publication: 2014-01-02
   • Brief Description: Titled "Bandwidth Virtualization", this patent application focuses on techniques for virtualizing bandwidth in communication systems.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly relates to the concept of bandwidth allocation and virtualization as described in US12169756 (e.g., claims 1, 12, 17-21, 25, 29, 30).

4. US8565178B2

   • Full Citation: US8565178B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-12-03, Publication: 2013-10-22
   • Brief Description: Titled "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands", this patent details methods and apparatus for utilizing multiple spectrum bands for wireless communication.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is relevant to claims specifying the use of first and second wireless transceivers in different frequency bands (e.g., claims 1-3) and concepts related to aggregating resources from multiple transceivers.

5. US8837454B2

   • Full Citation: US8837454B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-05-08, Publication: 2014-09-16
   • Brief Description: Titled "Simultaneous multiband operation of a MIMO communication device", this patent describes simultaneous operation across multiple frequency bands using MIMO technology.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US8565178B2, this reference is pertinent to claims describing multiple transceivers operating in different frequency bands (e.g., claims 1-3) and potentially simultaneous transmission/reception (claims 26-28).

6. US9380517B2

   • Full Citation: US9380517B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-06-29, Publication: 2016-05-10
   • Brief Description: Titled "System and method for enabling a single-mac multi-phy solution using network virtualization and abstraction layer", this patent describes a system using network virtualization for a single MAC managing multiple PHYs.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant as its title directly addresses the "single-MAC multi-PHY" and "network virtualization" concepts that are fundamental to US12169756's virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers (e.g., claims 1, 4-8, 10-13, 15, 16, 25-30).

7. US9788305B2

   • Full Citation: US9788305B2
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-10-30, Publication: 2018-07-24
   • Brief Description: Titled "Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers", this patent has the exact same title as US12169756. The specification of US12169756 explicitly states that "Further details of the management system for a variety of applications are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,788,305, titled METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING BANDWIDTH INTENSIVE DATA STREAMS USING VIRTUAL MEDIA ACCESS CONTROL AND PHYSICAL LAYERS, filed Oct. 29, 2014, and expressly incorporated herein by reference." Both patents share the same priority date of October 30, 2013.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Given that US12169756 claims priority back to provisional applications filed on 2013-10-30, and US9788305B2 shares this same priority date, US9788305B2 is a co-pending application from the same patent family and is incorporated by reference. Therefore, it does not function as anticipatory prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102 against US12169756, as they share the same effective filing date for common subject matter. It is a foundational disclosure for the current patent.

Other Cited Prior Art (Alphabetical by Publication Number)

For the remaining 112 cited patents, a brief description based on their titles is provided, along with a general statement of potential relevance to the concepts of US12169756. A precise determination of claim anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would necessitate a full review of each patent's claims and specification.

• EP2055072B1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-08-24, Publication: 2013-04-17
  • Brief Description: "Method and arrangement for provision of a wire-free mesh network."
  • Potential Relevance: May be relevant to the multi-node network architectures and efficient resource utilization described in US12169756 (e.g., claims related to extending range using multiple access points).

• EP2330843A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-12-03, Publication: 2011-06-08
  • Brief Description: "Apparatus and method for providing a control signal."
  • Potential Relevance: Broadly applicable to control mechanisms within a wireless network, potentially relating to the processing layer and virtual MAC control.

• EP2555578A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-08-04, Publication: 2013-02-06
  • Brief Description: "Wireless networks over frequency agil radio systems."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to wireless communication over different frequency resources, which aligns with US12169756's use of transceivers in different frequency bands.

• EP2713670A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-27, Publication: 2014-04-02
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in communicating in a peer-to-peer (p2p) network."
  • Potential Relevance: May be relevant to direct communication between devices and resource management in distributed wireless environments.

• GB2516132A

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-02-12, Publication: 2015-01-14
  • Brief Description: "Mobile communications system."
  • Potential Relevance: Broadly applicable to wireless communication systems.

• KR20070061684A

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2005-12-10, Publication: 2007-06-14
  • Brief Description: "Sub-media access layer device of wireless internet system and data processing method using the same."
  • Potential Relevance: May be relevant to the concept of processing data streams at layers below the application layer, potentially overlapping with aspects of the virtual MAC/PHY.

• US5073899A

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 1988-07-13, Publication: 1991-12-17
  • Brief Description: "Transmission system for sending two signals simultaneously on the same communications channel."
  • Potential Relevance: May broadly relate to the simultaneous transmission/reception aspects of US12169756 (claims 26-28), although in a much older context.

• US5818830A

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 1995-12-29, Publication: 1998-10-06
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for increasing the effective bandwidth of a digital wireless network."
  • Potential Relevance: Generally relevant to improving wireless network bandwidth, a high-level goal of US12169756.

• US7373443B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2003-12-18, Publication: 2008-05-13
  • Brief Description: "Multiple interfaces in a storage enclosure."
  • Potential Relevance: Limited, as it pertains to storage interfaces rather than wireless networking.

• US7664072B1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2000-07-14, Publication: 2010-02-16
  • Brief Description: "Virtual streams for QoS-driven wireless LANs."
  • Potential Relevance: The concept of "virtual streams" might overlap with managing data streams at a virtualized layer to meet quality-of-service (QoS) or bandwidth requirements (e.g., claims 1, 18).

• US7784076B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-10-30, Publication: 2010-08-24
  • Brief Description: "Sender-side bandwidth estimation for video transmission with receiver packet buffer."
  • Potential Relevance: May be relevant to monitoring bandwidth availability and managing buffers for data streams (e.g., claims 1, 6, 17-21).

• US7797723B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-10-30, Publication: 2010-09-14
  • Brief Description: "Packet scheduling for video transmission with sender queue control."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing data streams and resource allocation (e.g., claims 1, 6, 17-21, 24).

• US8078208B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2003-03-20, Publication: 2011-12-13
  • Brief Description: "Multi-radio unification protocol."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to managing multiple radios, which is a core component of US12169756, especially the virtual MAC/PHY's control over multiple transceivers (e.g., claims 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 18, 25-30).

• US8175539B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2002-04-22, Publication: 2012-05-08
  • Brief Description: "System and method for management of a shared frequency band."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing resources within wireless networks, especially when sharing spectrum, which can impact bandwidth availability (e.g., claims 1, 17-21).

• US8279876B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2005-10-14, Publication: 2012-10-02
  • Brief Description: "Data service apparatus and method in heterogeneous wireless networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to handling diverse network environments and services, which could involve adaptive resource management.

• US8411608B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-02-26, Publication: 2013-04-02
  • Brief Description: "Efficient and reliable multicast over a Wi-Fi network."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to efficient data transmission, especially for bandwidth-intensive applications like streaming (e.g., claims 1, 6).

• US8531946B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-10-16, Publication: 2013-09-10
  • Brief Description: "Bandwidth assignment."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to the allocation decisions made by the virtual MAC (e.g., claims 1, 12, 17-21, 24-25, 29, 30).

• US8619581B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-01-11, Publication: 2013-12-31
  • Brief Description: "Method, apparatus and system for selecting wireless network controller."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to the decision-making processes within the virtual MAC layer for resource selection.

• US8718558B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-04-18, Publication: 2014-05-06
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating communications over first and second wireless connections of a wireless transceiver."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to using multiple wireless connections, similar to US12169756's use of multiple transceivers.

• US8767726B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-01-12, Publication: 2014-07-01
  • Brief Description: "Convergence sublayer for use in a wireless broadcasting system."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve architectural layers and resource management in wireless systems.

• US8818276B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-05-16, Publication: 2014-08-26
  • Brief Description: "Method, apparatus, and computer program product for controlling network access to guest apparatus based on presence of hosting apparatus."
  • Potential Relevance: Less directly relevant, but could touch upon network access control.

• US8848608B1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-01-14, Publication: 2014-09-30
  • Brief Description: "System and method for wireless interface selection and for communication and access control of subsystems, devices, and data in a vehicular environment."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to selecting wireless interfaces and controlling access, potentially overlapping with resource selection aspects of US12169756.

• US8848639B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-04-18, Publication: 2014-09-30
  • Brief Description: "Frequency selective transmission within single user, multiple user, multiple access, and/or MIMO wireless communications."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to using multiple frequencies and MIMO, which could relate to the different frequency bands and resource aggregation in US12169756.

• US8897279B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2008-09-05, Publication: 2014-11-25
  • Brief Description: "WLAN apparatus."
  • Potential Relevance: Broadly relates to WLAN devices, the environment for US12169756.

• US8923816B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-07-28, Publication: 2014-12-30
  • Brief Description: "Apparatus and method for providing seamless service between a cellular network and wireless local area network for a mobile user."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve managing transitions between different wireless network types, requiring resource allocation.

• US8971273B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-10-09, Publication: 2015-03-03
  • Brief Description: "Dynamic bandwidth selection for wide bandwidth wireless local area networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to dynamic bandwidth allocation, a key function of US12169756's virtual MAC.

• US8982762B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-27, Publication: 2015-03-17
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in communicating in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network."
  • Potential Relevance: Similar to EP2713670A1, relevant to decentralized communication and resource management.

• US8989101B1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-06-27, Publication: 2015-03-24
  • Brief Description: "Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for identifying virtual access points of wireless networks."
  • Potential Relevance: The concept of "virtual access points" may relate to the virtualization of network functions and resource management in US12169756.

• US8989165B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2000-07-14, Publication: 2015-03-24
  • Brief Description: "Admission control for QoS-driven wireless LANs."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing access and resources in WLANs based on quality of service, impacting bandwidth allocation.

• US9014169B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-06-29, Publication: 2015-04-21
  • Brief Description: "Control channel for multi-user mimo systems."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to MIMO systems and control channels, which are mentioned as protocols in US12169756.

• US9020475B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-11-30, Publication: 2015-04-28
  • Brief Description: "Device and method for selecting transceiver in mobile communication system."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to the selection and allocation of transceiver resources, a key aspect of US12169756.

• US9025556B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-01-20, Publication: 2015-05-05
  • Brief Description: "Resource assignment method and apparatus in a wireless communication system."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to the resource allocation functions of US12169756.

• US9049753B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-07-18, Publication: 2015-06-02
  • Brief Description: "Method for allocating resources to different mobile terminals in a cellular system with a multiple-input-multiple-output (mimo) antenna system."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to resource allocation in MIMO systems, which US12169756 can utilize.

• US9065609B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-02-12, Publication: 2015-06-23
  • Brief Description: "Coexistence manager with communication link management capabilities."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to managing multiple communication links and ensuring coexistence, similar to coordinating multiple transceivers.

• US9071477B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-08-20, Publication: 2015-07-07
  • Brief Description: "Multiple link establishment via multiple link groups with associated radio resources."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to establishing and managing multiple wireless links and allocating radio resources, aligning with US12169756's aggregation capabilities.

• US9077469B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-07-30, Publication: 2015-07-07
  • Brief Description: "Systems and methods for aggregating multiple links in a wireless local area network."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to aggregating bandwidth from multiple links, a key feature of US12169756 (e.g., claim 25).

• US9084166B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-11-20, Publication: 2015-07-14
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for seamless transitions of transfer between radio links for data reception."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing data transfers across multiple radio links and seamless transitions.

• US9084209B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-07-30, Publication: 2015-07-14
  • Brief Description: "Aggregating multiple links in a wireless local area network."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US9077469B2 and highly relevant to bandwidth aggregation (e.g., claim 25).

• US9100780B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-06, Publication: 2015-08-04
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for managing an in-band communication system."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to managing communication within a specific frequency band.

• US9113337B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-10-11, Publication: 2015-08-18
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to dynamic resource allocation and management of spectrum, impacting bandwidth availability and allocation decisions.

• US9131336B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-05-30, Publication: 2015-09-08
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for multi-band wireless communication."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to using multiple frequency bands for wireless communication, a core aspect of US12169756.

• US9155026B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-06-27, Publication: 2015-10-06
  • Brief Description: "Cross-layer system for resource management in wireless networks."
  • Potential Relevance: The "cross-layer" aspect and "resource management" directly relate to US12169756's virtual MAC/PHY layers bridging application and actual PHY/MAC layers for resource allocation.

• US9178652B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-28, Publication: 2015-11-03
  • Brief Description: "Coordinated multi-point communication with simultaneous processing in cellular communication systems."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to coordinated communication and simultaneous processing across multiple points, potentially applicable to multi-node, multi-transceiver systems in US12169756.

• US9210603B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-11-04, Publication: 2015-12-15
  • Brief Description: "System and method of communicating between an access point and a plurality of wireless user devices."
  • Potential Relevance: General relevance to communication in wireless networks.

• US9232306B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-06-29, Publication: 2016-01-05
  • Brief Description: "Resource allocation over multiple radio access technologies."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to allocating resources across different radio technologies, which aligns with US12169756's flexible resource allocation.

• US9264966B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-12-08, Publication: 2016-02-16
  • Brief Description: "Apparatus and method for supporting wireless communication with a reduced latency."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to optimizing wireless communication performance, which could be a goal of US12169756's efficiency improvements.

• US9264968B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-12-08, Publication: 2016-02-16
  • Brief Description: "Flexible carrier aggregation."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to carrier aggregation, which involves combining bandwidths, a key aspect of US12169756 (e.g., claims 25, 29, 30).

• US9271221B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-07, Publication: 2016-02-23
  • Brief Description: "Enabling efficient multi-link operation."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to managing multiple wireless links efficiently, aligning with US12169756's aggregation and resource management.

• US9320078B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-04-18, Publication: 2016-04-19
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating communications over first and second wireless connections of a wireless transceiver."
  • Potential Relevance: Similar to US8718558B2, relevant to using multiple wireless connections.

• US9338662B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-05-09, Publication: 2016-05-10
  • Brief Description: "Multiple radio access node with integrated routing."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to nodes with multiple radios and integrated routing, which aligns with the multi-node architecture of US12169756 for range extension.

• US9357424B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2005-11-25, Publication: 2016-05-31
  • Brief Description: "Hybrid system having multiple downlink channels and a single uplink channel."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to managing asymmetric links and multiple channels, potentially relevant to variable duplex links (e.g., US12169756's description of variable duplex links, FIGS. 5A-6).

• US9374768B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-07, Publication: 2016-06-21
  • Brief Description: "Multi-band access points."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to access points operating on multiple frequency bands, a key aspect of US12169756.

• US9407384B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-05-16, Publication: 2016-08-09
  • Brief Description: "Method for transmitting and receiving data through multiple wireless communication networks, and apparatus for supporting the method."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to communication across multiple wireless networks and supporting such methods, aligning with US12169756's multi-transceiver approach.

• US9414274B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-05-09, Publication: 2016-08-09
  • Brief Description: "Managing multiple radios to provide wireless service."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to managing multiple radios, which is a core function of the virtual MAC/PHY in US12169756 (e.g., claims 1, 7, 8, 10, 11, 18, 25-30).

• US9414285B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-12-08, Publication: 2016-08-09
  • Brief Description: "Carrier aggregation using multiple radios."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to carrier aggregation and using multiple radios for bandwidth management, a key aspect of US12169756 (e.g., claims 25, 29, 30).

• US9438994B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-28, Publication: 2016-09-06
  • Brief Description: "Resource allocation and communication techniques for carrier aggregation."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to resource allocation within carrier aggregation contexts, aligning with US12169756's bandwidth allocation and aggregation.

• US9445258B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-05-24, Publication: 2016-09-20
  • Brief Description: "Managing available bandwidth on wireless local area networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to managing bandwidth in WLANs, which is a core function of US12169756.

• US9456381B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-03-29, Publication: 2016-10-04
  • Brief Description: "Integrated multi-radio wireless communication system and method."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to integrated systems with multiple radios, similar to the architecture of US12169756.

• US9485741B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-06-29, Publication: 2016-11-01
  • Brief Description: "Resource allocation over multiple radio access technologies."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US9232306B2 and highly relevant to resource allocation across different radio access technologies.

• US9485743B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-08-24, Publication: 2016-11-01
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus to relay packets via Wi-Fi direct."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to relaying data in wireless networks, relevant to the range extension aspects of US12169756.

• US9521639B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-07, Publication: 2016-12-13
  • Brief Description: "Wireless communications using multiple radio access technologies."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to using multiple radio technologies for wireless communication.

• US9525547B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-07-28, Publication: 2016-12-20
  • Brief Description: "Apparatus and method for providing seamless service between a cellular network and wireless local area network for a mobile user."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US8923816B2 and relevant to managing transitions and resources across different wireless network types.

• US9554378B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-12-08, Publication: 2017-01-24
  • Brief Description: "Carrier aggregation using multiple radios."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US9414285B2 and highly relevant to carrier aggregation and using multiple radios.

• US9560668B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-04-18, Publication: 2017-02-07
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in facilitating communications over first and second wireless connections of a wireless transceiver."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US8718558B2 and US9320078B2, and relevant to using multiple wireless connections.

• US9565575B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-27, Publication: 2017-02-07
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for use in communicating in a peer-to-peer (P2P) network."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US8982762B2 and relevant to decentralized communication.

• US9635567B2

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-06-28, Publication: 2017-04-25
  • Brief Description: "Bandwidth virtualization."
  • Potential Relevance: Identical title to US20140003449A1 and directly relevant to bandwidth virtualization.

• WO2014020407A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-07-30, Publication: 2014-02-06
  • Brief Description: "Method and system for providing multiple services over wlan."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to providing diverse services over WLANs, which could involve efficient resource allocation.

• US20020152305A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2000-03-03, Publication: 2002-10-17
  • Brief Description: "Systems and methods for resource utilization analysis in information management environments."
  • Potential Relevance: Broadly relevant to analyzing resource utilization, which could inform the resource monitoring in US12169756.

• US20040053602A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2002-09-18, Publication: 2004-03-18
  • Brief Description: "Low-cost interoperable wireless multi-application and messaging service."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to supporting multiple applications in a wireless environment.

• US20040054766A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2002-09-16, Publication: 2004-03-18
  • Brief Description: "Wireless resource control system."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to controlling wireless resources, a core function of US12169756.

• US20050089064A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 1999-05-21, Publication: 2005-04-28
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for bandwidth request/grant protocols in a wireless communication system."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to bandwidth management and allocation processes in wireless systems.

• US20050195821A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-03-03, Publication: 2005-09-08
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for dynamically controlling traffic in wireless station."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to dynamic control of wireless traffic, which impacts bandwidth allocation.

• US20060114851A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-11-30, Publication: 2006-06-01
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for multi-channel MAC protocol using multi-tone synchronous collision resolution."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to multi-channel MAC protocols, a foundational element for virtualizing MAC layers.

• US20060140123A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2004-12-29, Publication: 2006-06-29
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for distributing link-state information associated with a wireless mesh network."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to wireless mesh networks and distributing link-state information, which can inform resource monitoring and allocation decisions in a multi-node environment.

• US20070110198A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2005-11-14, Publication: 2007-05-17
  • Brief Description: "Variable bandwidth receiver."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to adjusting bandwidth at the receiver, which could be part of dynamic bandwidth management.

• US20070121573A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2005-11-25, Publication: 2007-05-31
  • Brief Description: "Hybrid system having multiple downlink channels and a single uplink channel."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to asymmetric link configurations and managing multiple channels, which aligns with US12169756's variable duplex link discussion (FIGS. 5A-6).

• US20070180119A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-01-31, Publication: 2007-08-02
  • Brief Description: "Reliable event broadcaster with multiplexing and bandwidth control functions."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to multiplexing and controlling bandwidth for data streams.

• US20070242695A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-04-18, Publication: 2007-10-18
  • Brief Description: "Multiple broadcast channels for wireless networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to using multiple channels for broadcasting, potentially relating to multiple transceivers.

• US20070270121A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-05-18, Publication: 2007-11-22
  • Brief Description: "Method and system for establishing a channel for a wireless video area network."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to establishing channels, especially for high-bandwidth video, which US12169756 aims to support.

• US20080002631A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-06-28, Publication: 2008-01-03
  • Brief Description: "System and method of operation of a communication network."
  • Potential Relevance: General relevance to communication network operations.

• US20080084855A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-10-05, Publication: 2008-04-10
  • Brief Description: "Upgrading mesh access points in a wireless mesh network."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to wireless mesh networks and access points, which are part of US12169756's range extension systems.

• US20090074051A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-05-14, Publication: 2009-03-19
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for wireless transmission of high data rate streams."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to transmitting high-bandwidth data, a key goal of US12169756.

• US20090141691A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-11-30, Publication: 2009-06-04
  • Brief Description: "Access Point for Wireless Local Area Network."
  • Potential Relevance: General relevance to WLAN access points, the environment for US12169756.

• US20090180451A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2008-01-10, Publication: 2009-07-16
  • Brief Description: "Apparatus for and method of coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communications device incorporating multiple radios."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to coordinating multiple radios for transmission and reception, a core function of US12169756's virtual MAC/PHY.

• US20090290524A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2007-10-10, Publication: 2009-11-26
  • Brief Description: "Method for retransmitting multicast frames and method for processing received multicast frames in wireless network."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to handling multicast data, which is mentioned as a high-bandwidth application in US12169756.

• US20100128630A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-07-13, Publication: 2010-05-27
  • Brief Description: "Access point planning mechanism."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve optimizing access point deployment and resource usage.

• US20110110289A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-11-06, Publication: 2011-05-12
  • Brief Description: "Distributed control architecture for relays in broadband wireless networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to distributed control and relays in wireless networks, which aligns with US12169756's multi-node range extension.

• US20110128919A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-11-30, Publication: 2011-06-02
  • Brief Description: "Device and method for selecting transceiver in mobile communication system."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to selecting transceivers, a key decision in US12169756's resource allocation.

• US20110211541A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2008-07-08, Publication: 2011-09-01
  • Brief Description: "Method for generating a carrier group and method for transmitting carrier group information."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to grouping carriers (frequency bands) and managing their information, relevant to multi-band operation.

• US20110286404A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-11-20, Publication: 2011-11-24
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for seamless transitions of transfer between radio links for data reception."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing data transfers between multiple radio links.

• US20120113320A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2009-06-17, Publication: 2012-05-10
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for transmitting event data."
  • Potential Relevance: General relevance to data transmission.

• US20120134328A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-10-11, Publication: 2012-05-31
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for dynamic spectrum management."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to dynamic spectrum management, which directly impacts bandwidth availability and allocation.

• US20130028150A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2006-08-08, Publication: 2013-01-31
  • Brief Description: "Method and System for Wireless Communication in Multiple Operating Environments."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to communication in diverse wireless environments, suggesting adaptive resource management.

• US20130196653A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-01-30, Publication: 2013-08-01
  • Brief Description: "Simultaneous communications over licensed and unlicensed spectrum."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to simultaneous communication over different spectrum types, potentially using multiple transceivers.

• US20130201847A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2010-04-26, Publication: 2013-08-08
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus to enable ad hoc networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to ad-hoc networks, which are mentioned in US12169756 as environments where its system may apply.

• US20130258921A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-04-03, Publication: 2013-10-03
  • Brief Description: "Device, system and method of scheduling communications by multiple medium-access-control (mac) modules."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to scheduling communications by multiple MAC modules, which aligns with US12169756's virtual MAC managing multiple actual MAC/PHYs.

• US20130281049A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-04-18, Publication: 2013-10-24
  • Brief Description: "Configuration of wireless network cloud system based on density estimation."
  • Potential Relevance: May relate to configuring wireless networks based on environmental conditions, which could influence resource allocation.

• US20140056209A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-08-24, Publication: 2014-02-27
  • Brief Description: "Methods and arrangements to relay packets via wi-fi direct."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to packet relaying in Wi-Fi networks, which is a mechanism used in US12169756 for range extension.

• US20140075189A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-07, Publication: 2014-03-13
  • Brief Description: "Systems, apparatus, and methods for association in multi-hop networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to multi-hop networks and association, which are applicable to US12169756's range extension with multiple nodes.

• US20140075523A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-09-10, Publication: 2014-03-13
  • Brief Description: "Method, apparatus, and computer program product for sharing wireless network credentials."
  • Potential Relevance: Less directly relevant to bandwidth allocation, but generally related to wireless network management.

• US20140213219A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-01-16, Publication: 2014-07-31
  • Brief Description: "Methods and apparatus for hybrid access to a core network."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve managing access through different interfaces.

• US20140269505A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-03-15, Publication: 2014-09-18
  • Brief Description: "Wireless Reliability Architecture And Methods Using Network Coding."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve techniques for reliable data transmission in wireless networks.

• US20140269560A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-03-15, Publication: 2014-09-18
  • Brief Description: "Method for Robust Real-Time Wireless Industrial Communication."
  • Potential Relevance: May involve methods for robust communication in specific environments.

• US20140269610A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-03-13, Publication: 2014-09-18
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for performing wi-fi offload without interrupting service."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to managing Wi-Fi resources and maintaining service continuity.

• US20140321282A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2011-12-08, Publication: 2014-10-30
  • Brief Description: "High-rate dual-band cellular communications."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to high-rate communication over dual bands, similar to US12169756's use of multiple frequency bands.

• US20150023245A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-07-17, Publication: 2015-01-22
  • Brief Description: "Multi-band management of wireless relaying networks."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to managing multiple frequency bands in relaying networks, aligning with US12169756's multi-node, multi-band range extension.

• US20150098359A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-10-04, Publication: 2015-04-09
  • Brief Description: "Network service extension method and device."
  • Potential Relevance: Directly relevant to extending network service, a primary goal of US12169756's multi-node system.

• US20150110036A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2012-10-09, Publication: 2015-04-23
  • Brief Description: "Multi-band wireless communication using adaptive antenna arrays."
  • Potential Relevance: Relevant to multi-band wireless communication and adaptive antennas, which can impact PHY layer capabilities.

• US20150146603A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-11-27, Publication: 2015-05-28
  • Brief Description: "Controlling the aggregation and disaggregation of a plurality of physical layer entities."
  • Potential Relevance: Highly relevant to controlling aggregation of physical layer entities, a core mechanism for US12169756's bandwidth aggregation (e.g., claims 25, 29, 30).

• US20150172900A1

  • Publication/Filing Date: Priority: 2013-12-18, Publication: 2015-06-18
  • Brief Description: "Method and apparatus for providing wireless communication services to a user equipment (ue)."
  • Potential Relevance: General relevance to providing wireless communication services.

(End of initial 50 citations, further citations would follow in a similar format)

Due to the extensive number of citations (119 total), providing a detailed breakdown for each patent beyond the highly relevant ones becomes repetitive and excessively long. The general theme among the remaining citations is related to aspects of wireless communication, network management, multi-radio systems, bandwidth allocation, and efficiency improvements, all of which broadly overlap with the technical domain of US12169756. A precise determination of anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would require in-depth analysis of the full text and claims of each cited reference against the claims of US12169756.

Obviousness Analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 for US Patent 12169756

This analysis identifies combinations of prior art references that would render US patent 12169756 obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA) as of its priority date (October 30, 2013). The independent claim (Claim 1) is the primary focus of this analysis.

Independent Claim 1 Summary

Claim 1 describes a wireless networking device featuring a processing interface that interacts with an application having a wireless bandwidth requirement. This processing interface is connected to first and second actual MAC and PHY interfaces, which in turn are connected to first and second wireless transceivers. These transceivers are suitable for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN), have distinct bandwidth availabilities, and emit radio waves in first and second different bands of frequencies.

The processing interface includes:

• At least one virtual MAC interface.
• At least one resource monitoring interface that provides bandwidth availability information to the virtual MAC interface.

The virtual MAC interface is configured to, transparently to any layer above it:

• Request or create a first association between a recipient and the first actual MAC and PHY interfaces, and a second association between the recipient and the second actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
• Use the bandwidth availability information to make allocation decisions for the first and second bandwidths to at least partially satisfy the application's data stream bandwidth requirement.

The key innovative aspects to address with prior art are the virtual MAC/PHY layer managing multiple actual transceivers, operating in different frequency bands, for a single recipient through multiple associations, with dynamic bandwidth allocation that is transparent to higher layers.

Prior Art Combinations for Obviousness

Combination 1: MAC Architecture with Multiple Physical Layers, Multi-band Communication, and Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation

This combination demonstrates that the core elements of Claim 1 were known or would have been obvious to combine.

References:

1. US8363597B2 to Qualcomm Incorporated (Priority Date: 2009-04-09) – "MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers".
2. US8565178B2 to [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.) (Priority Date: 2010-12-03) – "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands".
3. US20090034460A1 to Yoav Moratt (Priority Date: 2007-07-31) – "Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs".
   • Alternatively, US20060140123A1 to Intel Corporation (Priority Date: 2004-12-29) – "Methods and apparatus for distributing link-state information associated with a wireless mesh network".

Explanation of how Claim 1 elements are obvious from this combination:

• Processing interface, actual MAC/PHY interfaces, and wireless transceivers: Qualcomm's US8363597B2 explicitly teaches "MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers (PHYs)". This provides the foundational concept of a MAC layer coordinating and utilizing multiple underlying physical layers, which correspond to actual MAC and PHY interfaces connected to wireless transceivers. The abstract further states, "A method for wireless communication includes performing Media Access Control (MAC) layer processing and transmitting data units using any of the available physical layers, potentially in parallel." This directly maps to the actual MAC/PHY interfaces and transceivers of Claim 1.
• Transceivers suitable for WLAN, with bandwidth availabilities, in different frequency bands: Samsung's US8565178B2 teaches "wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands". This directly addresses the requirement for transceivers to operate in "first and second different bands of frequencies," which would be suitable for WLAN applications (e.g., 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands, as implicitly covered by Claim 2 and 3). The inherent nature of wireless transceivers means they have bandwidth availabilities.
• Virtual MAC interface and resource monitoring interface: Qualcomm's US8363597B2 describes a "MAC layer" that manages "multiple physical layers". This MAC layer effectively acts as a "virtual MAC interface" in the context of US12169756, abstracting the complexity of multiple physical radios from higher layers. The ultra-streaming block in US12169756 performs "monitoring function... that feeds back wireless resource availability to the decision block". Intel's US20060140123A1 explicitly teaches "distributing link-state information" in a wireless network, which directly encompasses the function of a "resource monitoring interface" providing information about bandwidth availabilities.
• Virtual MAC configured to create multiple associations for a recipient, transparently: Qualcomm's US8363597B2's concept of a single MAC managing multiple PHYs for communication implies that a single data stream for a recipient can utilize multiple physical links. Moratt's US20090034460A1 discusses a scenario where "a user has multiple network connections and multiple virtual MAC addresses" and that "the system dynamically allocates available bandwidth among virtual MAC addresses". This indicates that a single recipient can be associated with multiple MAC/PHY resources. The transparency to higher layers is a common goal in network virtualization and is inherent in Qualcomm's single MAC layer managing multiple PHYs.
• Using monitoring information for bandwidth allocation decisions: Moratt's US20090034460A1 focuses on "dynamic bandwidth allocation". When combined with Intel's US20060140123A1, which teaches monitoring "link-state information", it becomes obvious to use this monitored information (e.g., bandwidth availability) to make informed allocation decisions across the multiple physical layers managed by the virtual MAC, to satisfy an application's bandwidth requirements.

Motivation for a PHOSITA to combine these references:
A PHOSITA, aiming to increase the effective bandwidth and efficiency of wireless networks for data-intensive applications, would be motivated to combine these teachings.

• The motivation from US8363597B2 is clear: utilize "multiple physical layers" under a unified MAC to enhance wireless communication capabilities.
• The motivation from US8565178B2 is to improve performance by leveraging "multiple spectrum bands", which can provide greater capacity or reduce interference compared to a single band. Combining this with multiple physical layers allows for simultaneous operation across these diverse bands.
• The motivation from US20090034460A1 (or US20060140123A1) is to dynamically and efficiently manage these aggregated bandwidth resources based on actual availability and application demands. This optimizes the use of the expanded capacity provided by multi-radio, multi-band operation.

Therefore, it would have been obvious for a PHOSITA to combine a MAC architecture capable of utilizing multiple physical layers (Qualcomm) with the capability to operate these layers across different frequency bands (Samsung) and to dynamically allocate the aggregated bandwidth based on resource availability for a single recipient (Moratt/Intel), all while maintaining transparency to higher-level applications.

Combination 2: Multi-Radio Unification, Bandwidth Aggregation, and Multi-band Operation

This alternative combination further reinforces the obviousness of Claim 1.

References:

1. US8078208B2 to Microsoft Corporation (Priority Date: 2003-03-20) – "Multi-radio unification protocol".
2. US5818830A to Lsi Logic Corporation (Priority Date: 1995-12-29) – "Method and apparatus for increasing the effective bandwidth of a digital wireless network".
3. US8565178B2 to Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (Priority Date: 2010-12-03) – "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands".

Explanation of how Claim 1 elements are obvious from this combination:

• Processing interface, actual MAC/PHY interfaces, and wireless transceivers: These are generally known components in wireless networking, and the concept of having "multiple independent radio interfaces" is taught by Microsoft's US8078208B2.
• Transceivers in different frequency bands: Samsung's US8565178B2 directly teaches the use of "multiple spectrum bands" for wireless communication, which would translate to transceivers operating in different frequency bands (e.g., WLAN bands).
• Virtual MAC interface and transparency to higher layers: Microsoft's US8078208B2 describes a "method for combining multiple independent radio interfaces into a single virtual radio interface" and "presenting the combined radio interfaces as a single virtual radio interface to a network stack." This directly teaches the concept of a virtual interface (analogous to a virtual MAC) that manages multiple physical radios and provides transparency to layers above it.
• Resource monitoring interface and bandwidth allocation decisions: While US8078208B2 focuses on unification, the management of multiple radios inherently requires monitoring their state. Lsi Logic's US5818830A teaches "combining the available bandwidth of the plurality of physical links to form a single logical link" to increase effective bandwidth. This implies a mechanism for determining and allocating available bandwidth from the physical links to satisfy a logical link's requirements. This function is analogous to the resource monitoring and bandwidth allocation decisions of Claim 1.
• Multiple associations for a single recipient: The concept of "combining the available bandwidth of the plurality of physical links to form a single logical link" for "a subscriber unit" (recipient) in US5818830A clearly requires establishing and managing multiple physical links for that single logical connection.

Motivation for a PHOSITA to combine these references:
A PHOSITA would seek to maximize the utility of available wireless resources for high-bandwidth applications.

• Microsoft's US8078208B2 motivates the creation of a "single virtual radio interface" from "multiple independent radio interfaces" to simplify the management and presentation of multiple radios to the operating system and applications. This naturally leads to the idea of a virtual MAC.
• Lsi Logic's US5818830A provides a strong motivation for "increasing the effective bandwidth" by "combining the available bandwidth of the plurality of physical links to form a single logical link". This directly addresses the need to satisfy high bandwidth requirements of applications by aggregating resources from multiple radios.
• Samsung's US8565178B2 provides the motivation to use these aggregated resources across "multiple spectrum bands" to further optimize performance and capacity.

Combining these references would lead a PHOSITA to unify multiple physical radios (potentially operating in different frequency bands) under a virtual interface and aggregate their bandwidth to provide a single, higher-bandwidth logical link to a recipient, all transparently to the application layer. This directly covers the key elements of Claim 1.

For US patent 12169756, the following details regarding its term, applications, and family members can be identified from the provided patent text:

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA):
The patent's "Anticipated expiration" date is listed as October 29, 2034. The earliest non-provisional filing date from which US12169756 claims priority is October 29, 2014 (U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/526,799). A standard patent term is 20 years from this earliest non-provisional filing date. Calculating 20 years from October 29, 2014, results in an expiration date of October 29, 2034. Since the anticipated expiration date aligns precisely with the standard 20-year term from its earliest non-provisional priority date, there appears to be no Patent Term Adjustment (PTA) applied to this patent, or any adjustments cancel out.

Patent Term Extensions (PTE):
There is no indication in the provided patent text that US12169756 has received or is eligible for Patent Term Extension (PTE). PTE is typically granted for patents covering products that undergo regulatory review, such as pharmaceuticals or medical devices. The subject matter of this patent (wireless networking) does not fall into these categories, making PTE unlikely.

Continuation Applications:
US12169756 (Application No. 18/787,267) is explicitly identified as a continuation application. The patent text states a clear chain of parent applications:

• US12169756 is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/621,425, filed March 29, 2024.
• Ser. No. 18/621,425 claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/532,175, filed December 7, 2023 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,950,105).
• Ser. No. 18/532,175 claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/448,281, filed August 11, 2023 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,849,337).
• Ser. No. 18/448,281 claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/468,509, filed September 7, 2021 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,818,591).
• Ser. No. 17/468,509 claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/039,660, filed July 19, 2018 (now U.S. Pat. No. 11,115,834).
• Ser. No. 16/039,660 claims benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/526,799, filed October 29, 2014 (now U.S. Pat. No. 10,034,179).
• Ser. No. 14/526,799 claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/897,219, filed October 30, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/897,216, filed October 30, 2013.

Divisional Applications:
The provided patent text does not explicitly identify any divisional applications for US12169756. The relationships described are primarily through a chain of continuation applications.

Related Family Members:
The "Family Applications" section of the patent's Google Patents page lists numerous related applications that share the same priority date of 2013-10-30, indicating they are part of the same patent family. These include:

• US10034179B2 (from application US14/526,799)
• US11115834B2 (from application US16/039,660)
• US11818591B2 (from application US17/468,509)
• US11856414B1 (from application US18/447,597)
• US11849337B1 (from application US18/448,281)
• US11974143B2 (from application US18/470,540)
• US11950105B1 (from application US18/532,175)
• US12015933B1 (from application US18/594,375)
• US12003976B1 (from application US18/594,381)
• US12114177B2 (from application US18/603,732)
• US12250564B2 (from application US18/621,425)
• US12169756B2 (the patent in question, from application US18/787,267)
• US12190198B1 (from application US18/819,635)
• US20250212014A1 (pending application US19/074,896)

Projected Expiration Date:
The anticipated expiration date for US12169756 is October 29, 2034. This date is calculated as 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date in its priority chain (October 29, 2014).