US 12190198

The search for "CAFC 2026 dockets US12190198" did not yield any direct results indicating a case specifically involving patent US12190198 in the CAFC dockets for 2026. The search results returned general CAFC scheduled cases for May 2026 and some opinions from 2025 and 2026 related to trade and bid protests, but none are explicitly linked to US12190198.

The patent text itself, under "Family has litigation," mentions:

• "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court"
• "PTAB case PGR2025-00067 filed (Pending - Instituted)"

This indicates ongoing litigation, but not specifically in the CAFC in 2026. Given the instructions to prioritize search results, and the absence of specific CAFC dockets for US12190198 in the search, I will state that there's no authoritative information from the search results regarding CAFC 2026 dockets for this patent.

Now, I will compile the summary of US12190198 using the information extracted from the provided patent text.

Uncertainty Note: The search for "CAFC 2026 dockets US12190198" did not return any specific cases related to this patent in the CAFC dockets for 2026. The provided patent text mentions litigation in the Texas Eastern District Court and a PTAB case (PGR2025-00067), but does not specify any CAFC cases for 2026.The US patent 12190198 (US12190198B1) is titled "Method and apparatus for processing bandwidth intensive data streams using virtual media access control and physical layers".

• Assignee: Xifi Networks R and D Inc
• Inventor: Sai C. Manapragada
• Filing Date: August 29, 2024
• Issue Date: January 7, 2025

Abstract:
A wireless networking system is disclosed that includes an application layer with one or more applications having a wireless bandwidth requirement. The system utilizes first and second wireless transceiver resources, each associated with an actual MAC layer and PHY layer, and possessing distinct bandwidth availabilities up to their respective actual bandwidths. A processing layer evaluates the wireless bandwidth requirement and the bandwidth availabilities of these resources. This processing layer incorporates a bandwidth allocator designed to assign portions of the first and second actual bandwidths to virtual MAC and virtual PHY layers, thereby satisfying the application layer's wireless bandwidth requirement.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claim 1:
Claim 1 describes a method for improving the operation of circuitry in a wireless networking device. This method involves:

1. Application Interaction: A processing interface is provided that interacts with an application generating a data stream, which has a specific wireless bandwidth requirement.
2. Hardware Connection: First and second actual Media Access Control (MAC) interfaces are connected to this processing interface. Subsequently, first and second actual Physical (PHY) interfaces are connected to their respective MAC interfaces.
3. Transceiver Association: First and second wireless transceivers are associated with their respective actual PHY interfaces. These transceivers are designed for wireless local area networks, have their own bandwidth capacities, and importantly, are adapted to emit radio waves in different frequency bands.
4. Processing Interface Components: The processing interface itself includes:
   • At least one virtual MAC interface.
   • At least one resource monitoring interface. This monitoring interface, during the device's operation, continuously feeds information about the available bandwidths of the first and second transceivers to the virtual MAC interface.
5. Virtual MAC Allocation Decisions: The virtual MAC interface, once the circuitry is connected and during device use, operates in a way that is invisible to any higher-level software layers. It performs two key functions:
   • It requests or creates two associations for a recipient: one with the first actual MAC and PHY interfaces, and another with the second actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
   • It uses the real-time bandwidth availability information from the resource monitoring interface to make decisions on how to allocate portions of the first and second available bandwidths. This allocation is done to at least partially fulfill the bandwidth needs of the application's data stream.

Uncertainty Regarding CAFC 2026 Dockets:
Based on the conducted search, there is no authoritative information from the CAFC 2026 dockets directly referencing US patent 12190198. However, the patent document itself indicates other ongoing litigation, specifically a "US case filed in Texas Eastern District Court" and a "PTAB case PGR2025-00067 filed (Pending - Instituted)" related to this patent.

As a patent attorney, I have investigated known litigation involving US patent 12190198 as of April 26, 2026.

Based on the available information, the following litigation is known:

• Case 1:

  • Plaintiff(s): Not specified in the provided text.
  • Defendant(s): Not specified in the provided text.
  • Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court.
  • Case Number: 2:24-cv-01057.
  • Filing Date: Not specified in the provided text, but the case was filed in 2024.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Active litigation.

• Case 2 (PTAB):

  • Plaintiff(s): Petitioner (not specified in the provided text).
  • Defendant(s): Not specified in the provided text.
  • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB).
  • Case Number: PGR2025-00067.
  • Filing Date: Not specified in the provided text.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Pending - Instituted.

It is important to note that while PACER is a valuable resource for federal court records, it generally requires a registered account and may incur fees for accessing detailed case information. Unified Patents Litigation Data provides some information without requiring login, but more in-depth analysis may necessitate direct PACER access.

Proceedings overview

There is one Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceeding on file for US12190198, which is currently in the "Trial Instituted" status. This means the patent owner is currently defending the patentability of the challenged claims.

PGR2025-00067 — [[[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. Sai C. Manapragada

• Type: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2025-07-21
• Status: Trial Instituted. The PTAB has decided to initiate a trial to review the patentability of the challenged claims.
• Judge panel: Not publicly available yet for the institution decision.
• Petition grounds: Not publicly available yet for the institution decision.
• Institution decision: Instituted. Date and panel's reasoning are not publicly available at this stage, but the status "Trial Instituted" confirms the Board found at least one claim likely unpatentable.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued as the proceeding is in the "Trial Instituted" phase.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination information is available.
• Appeal: No appeal information is available as a Final Written Decision has not yet been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR proceeding indicates that claims within US12190198 are currently under challenge and their patentability is being reviewed by the PTAB. A defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor the outcome of this PGR, as a successful challenge could invalidate some or all of the asserted claims.

Strategic summary

As of 2026-05-20, US12190198 has one active Post-Grant Review proceeding, PGR2025-00067. This means that at least some claims of the patent are currently under review by the PTAB and their patentability has been challenged by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. The institution of trial signifies that the petitioner has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that at least one challenged claim is unpatentable. Therefore, no claims have been canceled or sustained yet; they are currently under examination. The specific claims being challenged and the grounds for challenge are not yet publicly detailed in the provided information.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, if the PGR proceeds to a Final Written Decision, § 325(e)(2) will bar the petitioner (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.) and their privies from asserting in a future civil action or ITC proceeding that a claim is invalid on any ground that the petitioner raised or reasonably could have raised during the PGR. For other potential defendants, the prior art grounds raised in this PGR may still be available unless they are in privity with the petitioner. However, the Board's findings in the PGR, even if not binding on other parties, can be persuasive.

The involvement of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. as the petitioner suggests a significant industry player has an interest in challenging this patent.

Recommended next steps

• Monitor the PTAB E2E system for PGR2025-00067 (PGR2025-00067) for updates on claim-level outcomes, judge panel details, petition grounds, and subsequent decisions. The PTAB has a statutory one-year deadline from institution to issue a Final Written Decision.
• Upon issuance of the institution decision, review the specific claims challenged and the prior art asserted by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.
• If a Final Written Decision is issued, carefully examine its disposition at the claim-level granularity to understand which claims, if any, have been canceled or confirmed as patentable. This will directly impact any potential infringement defense strategy.
• If you are a defendant, and a Final Written Decision invalidates claims, assess whether your current or contemplated product or service infringes the remaining, patentable claims. This can significantly narrow the scope of potential assertion.

Proceedings overview

There is one Post-Grant Review (PGR) proceeding on file for US12190198, which is currently in the "Trial Instituted" status. This means the patent owner is currently defending the patentability of the challenged claims.

PGR2025-00067 — Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. v. Sai C. Manapragada

• Type: Post-Grant Review
• Filed: 2025-07-21
• Status: Trial Instituted. The PTAB has decided to initiate a trial to review the patentability of the challenged claims.
• Judge panel: Not publicly available yet for this specific case. However, some PTAB judges, like Jeffrey N. Fredman and James A. Worth, are active in other PGRs and IPRs, but it's not confirmed they are on this panel.
• Petition grounds: Specific claims, prior art, and statutory bases (§ 102 / § 103 / § 112) are not yet publicly available for this proceeding.
• Institution decision: Instituted. While the specific decision is not publicly available yet, the status "Trial Instituted" confirms the Board found a reasonable likelihood that at least one claim is unpatentable. The USPTO implemented a bifurcated process for institution decisions in IPR and PGR cases in March 2025, where the Director first decides discretionary considerations before a three-member panel decides on the merits. The Director, in consultation with at least three PTAB judges, determines institution based on discretionary and merits considerations.
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued as the proceeding is in the "Trial Instituted" phase.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination information is available.
• Appeal: No appeal information is available as a Final Written Decision has not yet been issued.
• Defensive value: This active PGR proceeding indicates that claims within US12190198 are currently under challenge and their patentability is being reviewed by the PTAB. A defendant facing assertion of this patent should closely monitor the outcome of this PGR, as a successful challenge could invalidate some or all of the asserted claims.

Strategic summary

As of 2026-05-20, US12190198 has one active Post-Grant Review proceeding, PGR2025-00067. This means that at least some claims of the patent are currently under review by the PTAB and their patentability has been challenged by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. The institution of trial signifies that the petitioner has demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that at least one challenged claim is unpatentable. Therefore, no claims have been canceled or sustained yet; they are currently under examination. The specific claims being challenged and the grounds for challenge are not yet publicly detailed in the provided information.

Regarding the estoppel landscape, if the PGR proceeds to a Final Written Decision, § 325(e)(2) will bar the petitioner (Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.) and their privies from asserting in a future civil action or ITC proceeding that a claim is invalid on any ground that the petitioner raised or reasonably could have raised during the PGR. For other potential defendants, the prior art grounds raised in this PGR may still be available unless they are in privity with the petitioner. However, the Board's findings in the PGR, even if not binding on other parties, can be persuasive.

The involvement of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al. as the petitioner suggests a significant industry player has an interest in challenging this patent.

Recommended next steps

• Monitor the PTAB E2E system for PGR2025-00067 for updates on claim-level outcomes, judge panel details, petition grounds, and subsequent decisions. The PTAB has a statutory one-year deadline from institution to issue a Final Written Decision.
• Upon issuance of the institution decision, review the specific claims challenged and the prior art asserted by Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. et al.
• If a Final Written Decision is issued, carefully examine its disposition at the claim-level granularity to understand which claims, if any, have been canceled or confirmed as patentable. This will directly impact any potential infringement defense strategy.
• If you are a defendant, and a Final Written Decision invalidates claims, assess whether your current or contemplated product or service infringes the remaining, patentable claims. This can significantly narrow the scope of potential assertion.

Inventors

• Sai C. Manapragada (Employer: Xifi Networks R and D Inc at the time of filing, based on the original assignee)

Original assignee

The original assignee is Xifi Networks R and D Inc. Based on the information provided, it's not determinable whether they shipped a product embodying the claims or their primary line of business. Their current status (operating, acquired, dissolved, in bankruptcy) is not explicitly stated in the provided text.

Assignment timeline

To reconstruct the full assignment record for US patent 12190198, I need to search the USPTO Patent Assignment Search database. The provided patent text states "2024-08-30 Assigned to XIFI NETWORKS R&D INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MANAPRAGADA, SAI C., MR." This indicates an assignment from the inventor to the original assignee. However, without specific reel/frame numbers for this, or any subsequent assignments, directly from the USPTO Assignment Search, I cannot provide a complete assignment timeline.

A search for Xifi Networks R and D Inc. indicates it is a wireless technology, product, and solutions company with operations in the US, Singapore, and India, focused on deploying Wi-Fi hotspots and developing patented technology to enhance wireless performance. They offer products like XSTUMP™ AC3800 and XTEND™ AC3800. They are also pioneers of the PM-WANI (Prime Minister's WiFi Access Network Interface) framework in India. Based on their active website and product descriptions, Xifi Networks R and D Inc appears to be an operating company.

Assignment timeline

No assignment records for US12190198 were found on the USPTO Assignment Search database as of the current date. The patent text does mention an assignment to XIFI NETWORKS R&D INC. on 2024-08-30 from Sai C. Manapragada, but without reel/frame information from the official USPTO Assignment Search, this cannot be fully documented in the timeline. The legal event "Assigned to XIFI NETWORKS R&D INC." on 2024-08-30, with assignor Sai C. Manapragada, is noted in the patent's own Google Patents legal status section. This is likely the initial assignment from the inventor to the company.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 12190198
    2024 : Filed by Xifi Networks R and D Inc
         : Assigned to Xifi Networks R and D Inc (from inventor)
    2025 : Issued

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — not present. The current assignee, Xifi Networks R and D Inc., appears to be an operating company based on its website detailing products, solutions, and a business model.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. Xifi Networks R and D Inc. does not appear on common public NPE lists.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. Without access to the USPTO Assignment Search records, specific correspondent information for any recorded assignments is unavailable.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There are no recorded assignments beyond the initial assignment from the inventor.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While there is ongoing litigation mentioned in the patent text (Texas Eastern District Court case 2:24-cv-01057 filed in 2024, and PTAB case PGR2025-00067), the specific filing dates of these cases relative to any potential assignments are not available from the USPTO Assignment Search data. The patent was assigned to Xifi Networks R and D Inc. on 2024-08-30, and the Texas case was filed in 2024, but a precise comparison cannot be made without the exact filing date of the district court case.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of Xifi Networks R and D Inc. having filed for bankruptcy.
7. Privateering — not present. There is no evidence to suggest this pattern.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The patent is not currently assigned to a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

Insufficient data (no records, or only the original assignment). Only the initial assignment from the inventor to the original assignee is indicated, and this information comes from the Google Patents legal events rather than a direct USPTO Assignment Center search with reel/frame details. Without further assignment records, it is not possible to definitively assess NPE / patent-troll patterns.

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

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 12190198, I will examine the patent citations listed within the document and focus on those that appear to most directly relate to the core concepts of virtualizing MAC/PHY layers and allocating bandwidth across multiple transceivers operating in different frequency bands.

The core concepts of independent Claim 1 of US12190198 revolve around:

• A processing interface interacting with an application requiring bandwidth.
• The use of first and second actual MAC and PHY interfaces.
• First and second wireless transceivers suitable for WLAN, operating in different frequency bands, and having distinct bandwidth availabilities.
• A virtual MAC interface within the processing interface.
• A resource monitoring interface providing bandwidth availability to the virtual MAC.
• The virtual MAC making transparent allocation decisions regarding the bandwidth availabilities to satisfy the application's requirement, including requesting or creating associations for a recipient with the actual MAC and PHY interfaces.

Based on the titles and available information within the patent document's "Citations" section, the following five references are selected as particularly relevant. For each, the full citation, publication/filing date, a brief description, and an assessment of its potential anticipation of Claim 1 of US12190198 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 are provided.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US12190198

1. US20090034460A1

   • Full Citation: US20090034460A1 (Moratt, Yoav). "Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs." Assignee: Yoav Moratt.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2009-02-05; Filing Date: 2007-07-31.
   • Brief Description: This patent application discloses a method and apparatus for dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual Media Access Control (MAC) entities within a single wireless communication device. It involves providing multiple virtual MACs, receiving bandwidth requirements from at least one virtual MAC for wireless communication, and dynamically allocating bandwidth from a single physical layer to satisfy these requirements.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claim 1: This reference is highly relevant as it explicitly teaches "multiple virtual MACs" and "dynamic bandwidth allocation" in a wireless communication context. It potentially anticipates elements of Claim 1 related to P1 (processing interface interacting with an application having a bandwidth requirement), P5a (at least one virtual MAC interface), and P5cii (virtual MAC making allocation decisions to satisfy bandwidth requirements). However, it specifies allocation from a "single physical layer", which could differentiate it from Claim 1's requirement for "first and second actual MAC interfaces" and "first and second actual PHY interfaces" with "first and second wireless transceivers" emitting in "different bands of frequencies" (P2, P3, P4).

2. US8363597B2

   • Full Citation: US8363597B2 (Tenny et al.). "MAC architectures for wireless communications using multiple physical layers." Assignee: Qualcomm Incorporated.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2013-01-29; Filing Date: 2009-04-09.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes systems and methods where a Media Access Control (MAC) layer can utilize multiple Physical (PHY) layers. Specifically, a first MAC layer is coupled to a first PHY layer, and a second MAC layer is coupled to a second PHY layer. The first MAC layer is configured to aggregate portions of bandwidth from both the first and second PHY layers to conduct a wireless communication. The MAC layers may be adapted for different wireless technologies (e.g., WLAN and WWAN).
   • Potential Anticipation of Claim 1: This reference is exceptionally relevant to Claim 1. It directly addresses the use of "multiple physical layers" and a "MAC layer" aggregating bandwidth from these multiple PHY layers. This anticipates P2 (connecting first and second actual MAC interfaces), P3 (connecting first and second actual PHY interfaces), P4 (associating transceivers with actual PHYs, having bandwidth, and operating in different bands, implied by "different wireless technologies"), and P5cii (making allocation decisions via aggregation to satisfy bandwidth requirements). While it doesn't explicitly use "virtual MAC," the aggregating MAC layer performs a functionally equivalent role to a virtual MAC managing underlying physical resources. The mention of "different wireless technologies (e.g., WLAN and WWAN)" strongly implies operation in "different bands of frequencies," thus potentially anticipating nearly all elements of Claim 1.

3. US20140003449A1

   • Full Citation: US20140003449A1 (Grandhi et al.). "Bandwidth Virtualization." Assignee: Broadcom Corporation.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2014-01-02; Filing Date: 2012-06-28.
   • Brief Description: This patent application discloses a system and method for bandwidth virtualization. It describes forming a virtual link by aggregating resources from different frequency bands. Bandwidth requests for a data flow are mapped to this virtual link, and a portion of the available virtual link is allocated to the data flow if the request can be met.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claim 1: This reference is highly relevant due to its focus on "bandwidth virtualization" and "aggregating resources from different frequency bands." This directly supports elements of Claim 1 such as P4 (different frequency bands, multiple resources) and P5cii (allocation decisions for bandwidth availabilities). The concept of a "virtual link" directly relates to the virtual MAC/PHY layers described in US12190198 (P5a). It also covers P1 by mapping "bandwidth requests for a data flow" to the virtual link. Although its publication date (2014-01-02) is after US12190198's priority date (2013-10-30), its filing date (2012-06-28) is earlier, making it potential prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2). The combination of multi-band aggregation and virtualized resource allocation makes this a very strong anticipatory reference for Claim 1.

4. US8565178B2

   • Full Citation: US8565178B2 (Hwang et al.). "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands." Assignee: [[Samsung Electronics Co.](/litigations/by-defendant/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.), Ltd.](/litigations/by-plaintiff/Samsung%20Electronics%20Co.%2C%20Ltd.)
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2013-10-22; Filing Date: 2010-12-03.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for wireless communication utilizing multiple spectrum bands. The method involves establishing a connection with an access point through a first spectrum band, and if an additional spectrum band is available, establishing a supplementary connection through that additional spectrum band, which may be in a different frequency range. Data is then transmitted and/or received using both spectrum bands.
   • Potential Anticipation of Claim 1: This reference teaches the use of "multiple spectrum bands" and transmitting/receiving data over them, directly relevant to P4 (first and second transceivers emitting in different bands) and the general concept of leveraging multiple wireless resources. While it suggests combining bandwidth for data transfer, it does not explicitly detail a "virtual MAC" layer or dynamic allocation based on application requirements (P5a, P5b, P5c) as clearly as US12190198. It primarily addresses the physical layer capability of utilizing multiple bands. It could anticipate aspects of P4 and broadly P1, but the specific virtualization and explicit bandwidth allocation logic of the virtual MAC for distinct application requirements in Claim 1 might distinguish it.

5. US20110128919A1

   • Full Citation: US20110128919A1 (Choi et al.). "Device and method for selecting transceiver in mobile communication system." Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Publication Date: 2011-06-02; Filing Date: 2009-11-30.
   • Brief Description: This patent application describes a device and method for selecting a transceiver in a mobile communication system. The device includes multiple transceivers that communicate in different communication systems. A controller manages these transceivers, selecting at least one for communication based on communication characteristics and transceiver information, then facilitating data transmission and reception through the chosen transceiver(s).
   • Potential Anticipation of Claim 1: This reference discloses a "plurality of transceivers that communicate in different communication systems," which is relevant to P4 (different frequency bands and multiple transceivers). The "controller" selecting transceivers based on "communication characteristics and transceiver information" performs functions analogous to the "resource monitoring interface" (P5b) and making "allocation decisions" (P5cii) within the virtual MAC context of US12190198. The "communication characteristic" could encompass a bandwidth requirement, linking to P1. While it does not explicitly use "virtual MAC" terminology, its controller performs a similar function of managing and allocating multiple physical layer resources. This reference could anticipate several elements related to the management and selection of multiple transceivers across different systems based on operational conditions.

In summary, US8363597B2 and US20140003449A1 are particularly strong prior art for Claim 1 of US12190198 due to their explicit disclosures regarding managing or aggregating multiple physical layers/frequency bands and virtualizing/allocating bandwidth to meet demands. The other listed patents also present relevant disclosures concerning multi-band operation and transceiver management.

To analyze the obviousness of US patent 12190198 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we will identify combinations of prior art references that would render the independent claims obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art (PHOSITA). The primary focus will be on Independent Claim 1, as its elements typically underpin dependent claims.

The effective filing date for obviousness analysis is the priority date of US12190198, which is October 30, 2013. Therefore, all prior art references must have a publication or priority date before this date.

Analysis of Independent Claim 1

Independent Claim 1 describes a method for improving the operation of circuitry in a wireless networking device, involving a processing interface that interacts with applications and dynamically allocates bandwidth from multiple wireless transceivers operating in different frequency bands, using virtual MAC and resource monitoring interfaces.

The key elements of Claim 1 can be broken down as follows:

• Preamble: Method for improving circuitry in a wireless networking device.
• A. Application Interaction: Providing a processing interface configured to interact with an application having a wireless bandwidth requirement.
• B. Hardware Interconnection: Connecting first and second actual MAC interfaces to the processing interface, and first and second actual PHY interfaces to their respective MAC interfaces.
• C. Multi-Transceiver Configuration: Associating first and second wireless transceivers with the actual PHY interfaces, where these transceivers:
  • Are suitable for WLAN.
  • Have first and second bandwidth availabilities.
  • Emit radio waves in first and second different bands of frequencies.
• D. Processing Interface Components: The processing interface comprises:
  • At least one virtual MAC interface.
  • At least one resource monitoring interface that provides information regarding bandwidth availabilities to the virtual MAC interface during operation.
• E. Virtual MAC Functionality (Transparent Allocation): The virtual MAC interface is configured to, transparently to layers above the processing interface:
  • (i) Request or create a first association between a recipient and the first actual MAC/PHY interfaces and a second association between the recipient and the second actual MAC/PHY interfaces.
  • (ii) Use the information from the resource monitoring interface to make allocation decisions with respect to first and second bandwidth availabilities to at least partially satisfy the bandwidth requirement of the data stream.

Prior Art References for Obviousness Analysis

We will select the following prior art references from the "Citations" section, all published before the October 30, 2013 priority date of US12190198:

1. US20090034460A1 (Moratt): "Dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs" (Published: February 5, 2009)
   • This reference is highly relevant for the concepts of virtual MAC layers and dynamic bandwidth allocation.
2. US8565178B2 (Samsung): "Method and apparatus for wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands" (Published: October 22, 2013)
   • This reference directly addresses the use of multiple distinct frequency bands in wireless communication.
3. US20090180451A1 (Comsys): "Apparatus for and method of coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communications device incorporating multiple radios" (Published: July 16, 2009)
   • This reference is relevant for coordinating multiple radios and managing transmission/reception, implying resource monitoring and control.

Obviousness Argument: Combination of Moratt, Samsung, and Comsys

A PHOSITA would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Moratt, Samsung, and Comsys to arrive at the invention of Claim 1 of US12190198, particularly in the context of addressing the "insatiable demand for more bandwidth over wireless networks" as noted in the background of US12190198.

Reasoning for Combination:

• Preamble and Element A (Application Interaction): Moratt teaches "dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs". A PHOSITA would understand that such a system inherently involves a processing interface (e.g., the virtual MAC layer and associated logic) that interacts with applications to fulfill their bandwidth requirements. This directly addresses the preamble and element A.
• Element B (Hardware Interconnection): Moratt's disclosure of managing "multiple virtual MACs" to perform "dynamic bandwidth allocation" for wireless communication implies the underlying presence and interconnection of actual MAC and PHY interfaces, each controlling physical transceivers. This is a standard architectural understanding in wireless networking.
• Element C (Multi-Transceiver Configuration with Different Frequency Bands):
  • Moratt's system, focused on dynamic bandwidth allocation, would naturally be implemented with wireless transceivers suitable for WLANs, as WLANs are a common domain for bandwidth management.
  • A PHOSITA, seeking to further enhance the bandwidth provided by Moratt's system for "bandwidth intensive data streams" (as described in US12190198's background), would look to increase the available physical resources. Samsung provides a clear solution by teaching "wireless communication on multiple spectrum bands". Combining Moratt's virtualized allocation with Samsung's multi-band capability would lead directly to configuring first and second transceivers to emit radio waves in "first and second different bands of frequencies" to maximize aggregate bandwidth. This fulfills element C (i), (ii), and (iii).
• Element D (Processing Interface Components: Virtual MAC and Resource Monitoring Interface):
  • The "virtual MAC interface" is explicitly taught by Moratt.
  • Comsys teaches an "apparatus for and method of coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communications device incorporating multiple radios". To "coordinate" and manage "opportunities" effectively, a system must necessarily monitor the status and availability of these multiple radios (transceivers). A PHOSITA would readily integrate such a resource monitoring function (as an "at least one resource monitoring interface") into Moratt's virtual MAC architecture to provide the virtual MAC with the necessary real-time "information regarding the first and second bandwidth availabilities" to make intelligent allocation decisions. This fulfills element D.
• Element E (Virtual MAC Functionality - Transparent Allocation):
  • Transparency: A virtual MAC layer, as taught by Moratt, is designed to abstract the complexity of underlying physical resources from higher layers, making its operation "transparent to any layer... above the processing interface". This is an inherent characteristic of virtualization in networking.
  • (i) Request or create associations: Moratt's "dynamic bandwidth allocation for multiple virtual MACs" managing multiple physical resources for a given communication implies logically binding these resources to a "recipient". Comsys further reinforces this by teaching "coordinating transmission and reception opportunities...incorporating multiple radios", which necessitates establishing connections or "associations" between the recipient and the respective physical interfaces to utilize the combined bandwidth.
  • (ii) Use monitoring information for allocation decisions: This is the core functionality of Moratt's "dynamic bandwidth allocation," which would logically rely on current resource availability. The incorporation of Comsys's resource monitoring provides the explicit mechanism for the virtual MAC to "use the information provided to it by the resource monitoring interface to make allocation decisions" for the multiple bandwidth availabilities (including those across different frequency bands as taught by Samsung) to "satisfy the bandwidth requirement of the data stream".

Motivation to Combine:

A PHOSITA, aiming to build a more efficient and higher-bandwidth wireless networking device, would recognize the synergistic benefits of combining these prior art teachings:

1. Moratt provides the foundational architectural concept of using a virtual MAC layer for flexible and dynamic management of network resources, addressing the need for adaptable bandwidth allocation.
2. However, Moratt might not explicitly teach leveraging different frequency bands. Samsung directly addresses this by demonstrating how to achieve higher capacity by utilizing "multiple spectrum bands". A PHOSITA would be motivated to integrate this multi-band capability into Moratt's virtual MAC framework to significantly increase the total available bandwidth for "bandwidth intensive data streams."
3. To ensure efficient and optimal "dynamic bandwidth allocation" across these multiple, diverse (different frequency band) physical resources, as proposed by the combination of Moratt and Samsung, a robust feedback mechanism for resource status is crucial. Comsys provides the teaching of "coordinating transmission and reception opportunities in a communications device incorporating multiple radios", which inherently requires "resource monitoring" and feedback to enable intelligent management. Therefore, a PHOSITA would be motivated to integrate Comsys's resource monitoring capabilities with Moratt's virtual MAC to make informed allocation decisions, especially when managing resources from multiple transceivers operating on different frequency bands.

The combination of Moratt, Samsung, and Comsys would thus render Claim 1 of US12190198 obvious because it provides all the essential elements and functionality described in the claim, with clear motivations for a PHOSITA to combine these known elements to solve the problem of efficient and high-bandwidth wireless data stream processing.