Prior art

US Patent 8027326, titled "Method and system for high data rate multi-channel WLAN architecture," was granted on September 27, 2011, from an application filed on January 12, 2005, which claims priority to a provisional application filed on January 12, 2004. The patent is currently assigned to Intellectual Ventures I LLC.

The patent addresses challenges in wireless communication, particularly in WLANs, by providing methods and systems for high data rate, expanded bandwidth operations. It focuses on reusing existing single-channel radio designs, employing dual-channel operations for flexibility, and implementing adaptive anti-aliasing techniques to mitigate interference from adjacent channel waveforms. This approach aims to provide higher data throughput, especially in the context of emerging standards like IEEE 802.11n, while maintaining compatibility with legacy 802.11a/g systems. The patent is estimated to expire in December 2027.

Below are some of the most relevant prior art references cited in US Patent 8027326:

• U.S. Patent No. 6,438,115 B1 to MaZur et al.

  • Full Citation: US 6,438,115 B1
  • Publication/Filing Date: Granted August 2002. The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided text for this reference.
  • Brief Description: This patent is broadly classified under "Electric Communication Technique" and "Transmission of Digital Information," specifically related to arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path. It is cited in the context of OFDM and multi-carrier modulation signals.
  • Potentially Anticipating Claims: While a direct claim-by-claim analysis is outside the scope of this response, MaZur et al.'s patent, as an early OFDM-related reference, could potentially anticipate claims in US8027326 that broadly cover the use of OFDM for transmitting data over multiple sub-channels, as described in the background of US8027326. Specifically, claims relating to the fundamental principles of OFDM or multiplexing techniques in wireless communication.

• U.S. Patent No. 6,526,264 B2 to Sugar et al.

  • Full Citation: US 6,526,264 B2
  • Publication/Filing Date: Granted February 2003. The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided text for this reference.
  • Brief Description: Similar to MaZur et al., this patent is categorized under "Electric Communication Technique" and "Transmission of Digital Information," and relates to arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path, including OFDM and multi-user orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA).
  • Potentially Anticipating Claims: Given its focus on OFDM and OFDMA, Sugar et al.'s patent could potentially anticipate claims in US8027326 related to the use of multiple sub-carrier signals within an OFDM symbol, modulation schemes (BPSK, QPSK, QAM), or techniques for increasing data rates by utilizing multiple frequency channels.

• U.S. Patent No. 6,728,517 B2 to Sugar et al.

  • Full Citation: US 6,728,517 B2
  • Publication/Filing Date: Granted April 2004. The filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided text for this reference.
  • Brief Description: This patent is also listed under "Transmission of Digital Information" and "Arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path," and specifically mentions multiplexing of multicarrier modulation signals, e.g., multi-user OFDMA.
  • Potentially Anticipating Claims: This reference could potentially anticipate claims in US8027326 concerning the use of OFDMA for multi-user scenarios and general aspects of efficiently utilizing bandwidth with multiple carriers. Any claims in US8027326 that describe combining multiple channels or using additional subcarriers (like "filling the gap") for increased data rates would need to distinguish themselves from the teachings of Sugar et al. regarding multi-user OFDMA.

It is important to note that the above analysis is based on the provided abstract and brief descriptions of the cited patents within the context of US8027326. A definitive determination of anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 would require a full review of the claims and specifications of each cited patent, as well as a detailed comparison with the specific claims of US8027326.