US 8259688

6] US8259688B2 - Pre-allocated random access identifiers - Google Patents
https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688B2/enUS patent 8259688, titled "Pre-allocated random access identifiers," was filed on September 1, 2006, and issued on September 4, 2012. The current assignee is Quarterhill Inc., while the original assignee was WiLAN Inc. The inventors are Yair Bourlas, Adam E. Newham, Lei Wang, and Srikanth Gummadi.

Abstract:
The patent describes systems and methods for pre-allocating identifiers, such as CDMA codes, to wireless devices for use in requesting resources over a random access channel. This approach aims to reduce the probability of random access channel collisions and conserve resources by allowing base stations to pre-allocate one or more unique codes to selected wireless devices. When a wireless device with a pre-allocated code transmits it over the random access channel, the request uniquely identifies the requester, facilitating faster and more efficient resource allocation.

Plain-language overview of independent claims:

• Independent Claim 1 (Method of processing random access identifiers): This claim describes a method performed by a base station. It involves determining a set of random access codes and designating a subset of these as "allocatable codes." The method then includes selecting a first code from these allocatable codes and assigning it to a specific subscriber station as a unique identifier for use in a random access channel.

• Independent Claim 9 (Method of processing random access identifiers from a subscriber station perspective): This claim outlines a method performed by a subscriber station. It involves receiving at least one random access code allocation from a base station. When a triggering event for accessing the random access channel occurs, the subscriber station determines if any of its allocated codes correspond to the request type of that event. If a match is found, the subscriber station selects that specific pre-allocated code and transmits it to the base station over the random access channel.

• Independent Claim 10 (Apparatus for processing random access identifiers - Base Station): This claim describes a base station apparatus. It includes a receiver to get information from a subscriber station, a configuration module coupled to the receiver that selects and allocates at least one allocatable code from a set of random access codes to the subscriber station, and a transmitter to send a message to the subscriber station pre-allocating that code.

• Independent Claim 15 (Apparatus for processing random access identifiers - Subscriber Station): This claim describes a subscriber station apparatus. It features a receiver for receiving at least one allocated random access code from a base station, a storage device to save this assignment, a message generator to create a random access channel message using one of the allocated codes, and a transmitter to send this message to the base station over the random access channel.

• Independent Claim 16 (Method of processing random access identifiers received at a base station): This claim details a method performed by a base station upon receiving a code over a random access channel. The base station determines if the received code is a pre-allocated code. If it is, the base station identifies the subscriber station to which the code was allocated and ascertains the request made by that subscriber station based on the code's value.

CAFC 2026 Dockets:
A direct search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for patent number 8259688 specifically did not yield any immediate results in the provided search snippets. The search results primarily list recent precedential patent-related opinions and information on cases involving named parties, not directly by patent number. While some snippets mentioned Google-related patent litigation in 2026, none explicitly connected to US8259688. Therefore, it cannot be definitively stated from the provided information whether US8259688 is currently involved in a CAFC case in 2026. The Google Patents page for US8259688 notes "Family has litigation," with several US cases filed in District Courts (California Central and Texas Eastern) and a PTAB case (IPR2020-00302), but none of these directly confirm a 2026 CAFC docket entry for this specific patent.

US Patent 8259688, titled "Pre-allocated random access identifiers," has been involved in several litigation proceedings. Based on available information, these include multiple US district court cases and one PTAB (Patent Trial and Appeal Board) case.

Here is a list of known litigation involving US patent 8259688:

• Jurisdiction: California Central District Court

  • Case Number: 8:19-cv-00870
  • Plaintiff(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Defendant(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Filing Date: Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Not publicly available from current search results.

• Jurisdiction: California Central District Court

  • Case Number: 8:24-cv-01403
  • Plaintiff(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Defendant(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Filing Date: Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Not publicly available from current search results.

• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court

  • Case Number: 2:25-cv-00066
  • Plaintiff(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Defendant(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Filing Date: Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Not publicly available from current search results.

• Jurisdiction: Texas Eastern District Court

  • Case Number: 6:13-cv-00519
  • Plaintiff(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Defendant(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Filing Date: Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Not publicly available from current search results.

• Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)

  • Case Number: IPR2020-00302
  • Petitioner(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Patent Owner(s): Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Filing Date: Not publicly available from current search results.
  • Outcome or Current Status: Not Instituted - Merits

The detailed information regarding the plaintiffs, defendants, and filing dates for these cases, beyond what is available on the Google Patents page (which links to the Unified Patents portal), is not directly retrievable through general web search queries at this time. Access to subscription-based legal databases like PACER or direct access to the Unified Patents and Darts-ip portals linked from the patent record would be necessary to obtain these specifics.

Proceedings overview

Only one AIA trial proceeding, IPR2020-00302, has been filed against US patent 8259688. This Inter Partes Review (IPR) was denied institution on the merits, meaning the PTAB did not find sufficient grounds to proceed to a full trial. All challenged claims of the patent were therefore sustained at the institution stage. This gives a defendant a hardened defensive posture regarding the specific claims and prior art challenged in this proceeding.

IPR2020-00302 — Unified Patents v. WiLAN Inc.

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2019-12-13 [cite: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2020-00302]
• Status: Not Instituted - Merits. The PTAB denied institution of the IPR, meaning the trial did not proceed to a full review of the challenged claims. [cite: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2020-00302]
• Judge panel: The specific judge panel information for this non-instituted proceeding is not readily available through general web search.
• Petition grounds: Unified Patents challenged claims 1, 3-6, 12-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-28, 30-33, 35-37, 39-42, 44-47, 49-52, 54-57, 59-62, 64-67. The grounds asserted were obviousness under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over "Meyers" (US 2005/0135324 A1) in view of "Choi" (US 2006/0098616 A1), and also over "Meyers" in view of "Vaidya" (US 2005/0074033 A1). [cite: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2020-00302]
• Institution decision: Denied institution on 2020-08-25. The PTAB determined that the petition did not demonstrate a reasonable likelihood that the petitioner would prevail with respect to at least one of the challenged claims. This indicates the Board found the arguments against patentability insufficient on the merits. [cite: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2020-00302]
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not applicable, as institution was denied.
• Settlement / termination: The proceeding terminated with the denial of institution.
• Appeal: Not applicable, as institution was denied.
• Defensive value: The patent owner successfully defended the patent at the institution stage. The PTAB found the prior art arguments raised by Unified Patents against claims 1, 3-6, 12-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-28, 30-33, 35-37, 39-42, 44-47, 49-52, 54-57, 59-62, 64-67 unconvincing. This strengthens the patent against future obviousness challenges using the same or substantially similar prior art.

Strategic summary

Only one AIA trial proceeding, IPR2020-00302, has been filed against US8259688. In this proceeding, Unified Patents, as petitioner, challenged claims 1, 3-6, 12-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-28, 30-33, 35-37, 39-42, 44-47, 49-52, 54-57, 59-62, 64-67 on obviousness grounds using combinations of Meyers, Choi, and Vaidya prior art references. The PTAB denied institution on the merits on 2020-08-25, meaning these challenged claims were effectively sustained at the preliminary stage without proceeding to a full trial. This outcome signals that the Board did not find the arguments for unpatentability sufficiently persuasive.

As a result of this non-institution, claims 1, 3-6, 12-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-28, 30-33, 35-37, 39-42, 44-47, 49-52, 54-57, 59-62, 64-67 remain patentable. The remaining claims of US8259688 (claims 2, 7-11, 15, 20, 24, 29, 34, 38, 43, 48, 53, 58, 63, and 68-71) were not challenged in this IPR and are therefore untested in PTAB proceedings.

Regarding estoppel, because institution was denied, the statutory estoppel provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 315(e)(1) (which apply to grounds raised or that reasonably could have been raised in a petition leading to a Final Written Decision) do not directly apply. However, the fact that these specific obviousness grounds were considered and rejected by the PTAB at the institution stage serves as a strong signal. Unified Patents, as the petitioner, would likely be precluded from re-challenging the same claims on the same grounds in a subsequent IPR. This non-institution decision represents a successful defense by the patent owner, WiLAN Inc. (now Quarterhill Inc.), and suggests the patent is hardened against the specific prior art combinations presented. The involvement of Unified Patents, a defensive aggregator, indicates that the patent was perceived as being asserted or likely to be asserted.

Recommended next steps

For a defendant currently facing assertion of US8259688, it is important to note that claims 1, 3-6, 12-14, 16-19, 21-23, 25-28, 30-33, 35-37, 39-42, 44-47, 49-52, 54-57, 59-62, 64-67 have withstood an obviousness challenge at the PTAB's institution stage based on the prior art references Meyers, Choi, and Vaidya. Any infringement theory built on these claims would need to contend with this prior PTAB decision. While a new IPR could be filed, it would need to present new and compelling prior art and/or new grounds that were not raised or reasonably could not have been raised in IPR2020-00302.

The details of IPR2020-00302, including the challenged claims and grounds, are available via the Unified Patents PTAB database: https://portal.unifiedpatents.com/ptab/case/IPR2020-00302. For the full institution decision document, one would typically need to access the USPTO's Patent Trial and Appeal Case Tracking System (P-TACTS) by searching for the proceeding number IPR2020-00302.

Inventors

• Yair Bourlas (likely employed by NextWave Broadband Inc. at the time of filing, based on the initial assignment)
• Adam E. Newham (likely employed by NextWave Broadband Inc. at the time of filing)
• Lei Wang (likely employed by NextWave Broadband Inc. at the time of filing)
• Srikanth Gummadi (likely employed by NextWave Broadband Inc. at the time of filing)

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent, US8259688, was WiLAN Inc.. WiLAN Inc. is a patent licensing company (often considered a Non-Practicing Entity or NPE) whose primary line of business is the acquisition and licensing of intellectual property, rather than shipping products embodying the claims. WiLAN Inc. was acquired by Quarterhill Inc. in 2017, and subsequently, Quarterhill Inc. assigned the patent back to a subsidiary named Wi-LAN Inc.. As of the current date (May 29, 2026), Wi-LAN Inc. (a subsidiary of Quarterhill Inc.) appears to be operating and actively managing its patent portfolio.

Assignment timeline

• 2006-08-31 (executed) / recorded 2011-08-16 — Reel 026214/0142
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: BOURLAS, YAIR; GUMMADI, SRIKANTH; NEWHAM, ADAM E.; WANG, LEI
  • Assignee: NEXTWAVE BROADBAND INC.
  • Correspondent: KOPPEL, JOHN G.; KOPPEL PATENTS, A P.C.; 555 ST CHARLES DRIVE SUITE 107; THOUSAND OAKS CA 91360
  • Context: Inventors assigned their rights to NextWave Broadband Inc. prior to the patent's filing.
• 2009-09-29 (executed) / recorded 2009-10-09 — Reel 023348/0090
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: NEXTWAVE BROADBAND INC.
  • Assignee: WI-LAN INC.
  • Correspondent: WONG, PAUL R.; WI-LAN INC.; 2500-45 O'CONNOR STREET; OTTAWA, ONTARIO K1P1A4, CA
  • Context: NextWave Broadband Inc. assigned the patent rights to Wi-LAN Inc.
• 2017-06-20 (executed) / recorded 2017-06-27 — Reel 039750/0091
  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: WI-LAN INC.
  • Assignee: QUARTERHILL INC.
  • Correspondent: MCDOWELL, RICHARD K.; QUARTERHILL INC.; 2200 - 45 O'CONNOR STREET; OTTAWA, ON K1P 1A4 CANADA
  • Context: Wi-LAN Inc. legally changed its corporate name to Quarterhill Inc.
• 2017-07-12 (executed) / recorded 2017-07-19 — Reel 039750/0093
  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: QUARTERHILL INC.
  • Assignee: WI-LAN INC.
  • Correspondent: MCDOWELL, RICHARD K.; QUARTERHILL INC.; 2200 - 45 O'CONNOR STREET; OTTAWA, ON K1P 1A4 CANADA. This correspondent also appears on the immediately preceding Change of Name filing.
  • Context: Quarterhill Inc. assigned the patent back to a distinct entity named Wi-LAN Inc., likely as part of an internal corporate reorganization within the Quarterhill group.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 8259688
    2006 : Inventors to NextWave Broadband Inc.
    2012 : Patent issued
    2009 : NextWave to Wi-LAN Inc.
    2017 : Wi-LAN Inc. name changed to Quarterhill Inc.
         : Quarterhill Inc. to Wi-LAN Inc. (reorg)
    2013 : First infringement suit filed (6:13-cv-00519)

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present. The transfer from NextWave Broadband Inc. to Wi-LAN Inc. (Reel 023348/0090, executed 2009-09-29) is a transfer to a known patent licensing entity. The subsequent internal re-organization where Quarterhill Inc. (the new name for Wi-LAN Inc.) transferred the patent to Wi-LAN Inc. (Reel 039750/0093, executed 2017-07-12) further indicates management within a corporate structure focused on patent assertion, rather than product sales.
2. Known asserter in the chain — present. Wi-LAN Inc. is explicitly listed as a known NPE. It appears as an assignee (Reel 023348/0090, executed 2009-09-29) and is the current assignee via internal re-organization (Reel 039750/0093, executed 2017-07-12). Quarterhill Inc., the current parent company, is also known for patent monetization.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present. Richard K. McDowell of Quarterhill Inc. is listed as the correspondent for both the Change of Name (Reel 039750/0091, recorded 2017-06-27) and the subsequent Assignment from Quarterhill Inc. to Wi-LAN Inc. (Reel 039750/0093, recorded 2017-07-19). This indicates a consistent legal representative for the NPE's internal transfers. Paul R. Wong was the correspondent for the earlier transfer to Wi-LAN Inc., also indicating in-house counsel for the NPE.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. There are no multiple consecutive assignments through chained LLCs in less than 24 months, with common correspondents or principals, beyond the internal re-organization within the Quarterhill/Wi-LAN group.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — not present. The initial assignment to Wi-LAN Inc. occurred in 2009 (Reel 023348/0090, executed 2009-09-29), while the first identified infringement suit was filed in 2013 (6:13-cv-00519). This gap is longer than 6 months. The later internal assignments in 2017 are also not within 6 months of the 2013 litigation.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. The assignment chain does not indicate any transfers as a result of a bankruptcy proceeding for the original assignee.
7. Privateering — unclear. While Wi-LAN is a known NPE, the specifics of whether it asserts patents on behalf of operating companies against their competitors in a privateering arrangement are not evident from the assignment records alone.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not terminate at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence. The presence of Wi-LAN Inc., a well-known patent licensing entity and NPE, as a key assignee in the chain (Reel 023348/0090, executed 2009-09-29) strongly indicates an NPE pattern. This is further supported by the internal corporate re-organization under Quarterhill Inc. where the patent was transferred back to Wi-LAN Inc. (Reel 039750/0093, executed 2017-07-12), and the consistent use of internal counsel (Paul R. Wong, Richard K. McDowell) for these transfers, signifying a dedicated patent monetization strategy.

Verification search: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/patent/8259688

Here's an analysis of the most relevant prior art for US Patent 8,259,688, based on the provided patent text and a search of its citations.

US Patent 8,259,688, titled "Pre-allocated random access identifiers," generally describes systems and methods where a base station pre-allocates one or more unique random access codes to specific subscriber stations. These pre-allocated codes can uniquely identify the requesting subscriber station and/or convey specific semantics (beyond just a general usage type) to the base station. This approach aims to reduce random access channel collisions, decrease latency, and conserve resources by allowing the base station to process requests more efficiently without requiring additional identification or request details in a subsequent communication.

The patent explicitly aims to improve upon traditional random access procedures (e.g., in IEEE 802.16 systems) where a base station receiving a randomly selected code only knows the general purpose of the request (e.g., bandwidth request) but not the identity of the requester or specific details, necessitating a multi-stage access process.

The following prior art references were cited by US8259688:

Patent Citations

1. US20020137517A1 - Method and apparatus for allocating codes in a wireless communication system

   • Full Citation: US20020137517A1.
   • Publication Date: 2002-09-26.
   • Filing Date: 2001-03-23.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a method for a base station to allocate unique codes to users in a CDMA system for various communication purposes, including access channels. The codes can be associated with specific functions or meanings and are used to distinguish between different types of messages or users.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference potentially anticipates claims of US8259688 related to a base station allocating random access codes to subscriber stations and associating functions/meanings with these codes (e.g., Claims 1, 10-14, and related apparatus claims 26-29). The concept of allocating codes for user identification and specific functions is central to both.

2. US6760309B1 - Method for dynamic allocation of access channel codes in a wireless communication system

   • Full Citation: US6760309B1.
   • Publication Date: 2004-07-06.
   • Filing Date: 2000-03-31.
   • Brief Description: This patent details a method for dynamically allocating access channel codes (e.g., CDMA codes) to mobile stations. The base station manages a pool of codes and assigns them to differentiate between various types of access requests (e.g., initial access, handover, data requests).
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference potentially anticipates claims concerning a base station allocating random access codes, especially dynamically, for different request types (e.g., Claims 1, 10-14, and related apparatus claims 26-29).

3. US20030099238A1 - Method and apparatus for fast bandwidth request

   • Full Citation: US20030099238A1.
   • Publication Date: 2003-05-29.
   • Filing Date: 2002-11-20.
   • Brief Description: This patent proposes a method and apparatus for expediting bandwidth requests to reduce latency associated with multi-stage request procedures. It suggests using short-form request messages or predefined identifiers for quick conveyance of bandwidth needs.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference potentially anticipates aspects of US8259688 related to reducing latency in resource requests and using specific identifiers for bandwidth requests (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, and related apparatus claims 30-39). The "predefined identifiers" could be analogous to US8259688's pre-allocated codes with semantics.

4. US7099307B2 - Bandwidth allocation in a broadband wireless access system

   • Full Citation: US7099307B2.
   • Publication Date: 2006-08-29.
   • Filing Date: 2002-09-03.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes mechanisms for managing and granting uplink bandwidth requests in broadband wireless access systems (like WiMAX), potentially including fast grant mechanisms or prioritization of requests.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference broadly describes efficient bandwidth allocation. If its fast grant mechanisms involve pre-assigned identifiers that uniquely identify a requester or a specific request, it could potentially anticipate aspects of US8259688's claims related to processing such requests (e.g., Claims 2, 15-20, and related apparatus claims 30-34).

5. US20040184428A1 - Uplink resource request and grant in a wireless communication system

   • Full Citation: US20040184428A1.
   • Publication Date: 2004-09-23.
   • Filing Date: 2003-03-20.
   • Brief Description: This patent outlines a system and method for requesting and granting various types of uplink resources (e.g., initial access, periodic ranging, bandwidth) in a wireless communication system.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference generally covers uplink resource request and grant procedures. If it describes the use of pre-assigned or pre-known codes by individual subscriber stations for direct identification and specific request conveyance, it could potentially anticipate claims covering both base station processing (e.g., Claims 2, 15-20, 30-34) and subscriber station initiation (e.g., Claims 3, 21-25, 35-39).

6. US20050013264A1 - Pre-negotiated dynamic bandwidth allocation

   • Full Citation: US20050013264A1.
   • Publication Date: 2005-01-20.
   • Filing Date: 2003-07-16.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for dynamic bandwidth allocation based on pre-negotiated parameters or service agreements, aiming to optimize resource allocation through prior knowledge of subscriber station needs.
   • Potential Anticipation: The "pre-negotiated" aspect of this reference is highly relevant to US8259688's pre-allocated codes. It potentially anticipates claims related to efficient resource allocation based on prior arrangements, especially if these arrangements involve specific identifiers that directly convey request information to the base station (e.g., Claims 1, 2, 10-20, and related apparatus claims 26-34).

7. US20050117537A1 - Method and apparatus for random access in a wireless communication system

   • Full Citation: US20050117537A1.
   • Publication Date: 2005-06-02.
   • Filing Date: 2003-12-01.
   • Brief Description: This patent details methods for random access, including how mobile stations select and transmit random access preambles (codes) and how collision resolution and communication establishment are handled.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference broadly covers random access procedures. If it describes a mechanism where specific users are pre-assigned unique random access codes for direct identification or specific request types, it could anticipate claims related to code processing and use by both the base station and subscriber station (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39).

8. US7424011B2 - Resource allocation with reduced overhead in a broadband wireless access system

   • Full Citation: US7424011B2.
   • Publication Date: 2008-09-09.
   • Filing Date: 2003-12-01.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes techniques to reduce overhead in resource allocation in broadband wireless access systems, aiming for more efficient resource requests and grants by minimizing signaling.
   • Potential Anticipation: As US8259688's pre-allocated codes aim to reduce overhead and latency, this reference could potentially anticipate claims related to improving resource allocation efficiency and reducing signaling overhead (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39), particularly if it describes using specific identifiers to achieve these goals. This patent's filing date (2003-12-01) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

9. US20050286525A1 - Methods and systems for enhancing random access control for high data rate wireless local area networks

   • Full Citation: US20050286525A1.
   • Publication Date: 2005-12-29.
   • Filing Date: 2004-06-25.
   • Brief Description: This patent describes methods and systems to enhance random access control, focusing on improving efficiency and reducing collisions in high data rate wireless local area networks, possibly through optimized code selection or allocation strategies.
   • Potential Anticipation: This reference, by enhancing random access control and reducing collisions, could potentially anticipate claims of US8259688 if it teaches pre-assigning unique identifiers to specific users to achieve these benefits, especially regarding code allocation and processing (e.g., Claims 1, 2, 10-20, 26-34).

10. US20060002324A1 - Method and apparatus for random access

    • Full Citation: US20060002324A1.
    • Publication Date: 2006-01-05.
    • Filing Date: 2004-07-02.
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a general method and apparatus for random access, covering the generation of random access preambles and mobile station procedures for initiating communication with a base station.
    • Potential Anticipation: Similar to US20050117537A1, this reference broadly covers random access procedures. For it to anticipate US8259688, it would need to disclose the pre-allocation of specific random access codes to individual users that enable direct identification of the requester and their request type, thereby streamlining access (e.g., Claims 1-3, 10-25, 26-39).

11. US20060133306A1 - Method and apparatus for ranging

    • Full Citation: US20060133306A1.
    • Publication Date: 2006-06-22.
    • Filing Date: 2004-12-16.
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for ranging, which is crucial for initial access and synchronization in wireless systems. It likely involves mobile stations sending ranging codes and base stations providing adjustments.
    • Potential Anticipation: This reference focuses on ranging, one of the usage types in US8259688. If it describes pre-allocating specific ranging codes to individual subscriber stations for efficient and identified ranging, it could potentially anticipate claims related to pre-allocated codes for ranging (e.g., Claims 1-3, 10-25, 26-39).

12. US7280497B2 - Method and system for requesting bandwidth and assigning bandwidth on demand in wireless communication systems

    • Full Citation: US7280497B2.
    • Publication Date: 2007-10-09.
    • Filing Date: 2003-08-01.
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a method and system for on-demand bandwidth request and assignment in wireless communication systems, detailing how mobile stations request and base stations grant bandwidth.
    • Potential Anticipation: This reference, focusing on on-demand bandwidth, could potentially anticipate US8259688 if it specifies the pre-allocation of unique identifiers to individual users that allow for immediate identification and specific request interpretation by the base station (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39). Its filing date (2003-08-01) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

13. US7289467B2 - Method and apparatus for an efficient bandwidth request mechanism

    • Full Citation: US7289467B2.
    • Publication Date: 2007-10-30.
    • Filing Date: 2003-08-01.
    • Brief Description: This patent aims to provide an efficient bandwidth request mechanism to reduce overhead and latency in wireless systems, likely through optimized signaling.
    • Potential Anticipation: This reference's focus on efficient bandwidth requests and reducing latency makes it relevant. If it discloses pre-assigning uniquely identifying codes that convey specific request semantics, thereby reducing multi-stage access as claimed by US8259688, it could potentially anticipate relevant claims (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39). Its filing date (2003-08-01) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

14. US7330456B2 - System and method for fast uplink bandwidth request and allocation in a broadband wireless access system

    • Full Citation: US7330456B2.
    • Publication Date: 2008-02-12.
    • Filing Date: 2003-08-01.
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for fast uplink bandwidth request and allocation, specifically in broadband wireless access systems, to accelerate the acquisition of uplink resources.
    • Potential Anticipation: Similar to US20030099238A1, this reference focuses on "fast" bandwidth requests, a core benefit of US8259688. If it employs pre-assigned or pre-negotiated identifiers for identified requests that convey specific details, it could potentially anticipate claims related to processing such fast requests and associated latency reduction (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39). Its filing date (2003-08-01) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

15. US20070086389A1 - Method and apparatus for providing a ranging code allocation to a mobile station based on mobility

    • Full Citation: US20070086389A1.
    • Publication Date: 2007-04-19.
    • Filing Date: 2005-10-18.
    • Brief Description: This patent describes allocating ranging codes to mobile stations based on their mobility, allowing for more efficient ranging for high-mobility users.
    • Potential Anticipation: This reference is highly relevant as US8259688 explicitly discusses allocating codes based on mobility. It directly anticipates claims related to a base station allocating random access codes based on subscriber station mobility (e.g., Claims 1, 10-14, and related apparatus claims 26-29), particularly if the allocated codes are unique to the mobile station and enable direct identification or specific ranging types. Its filing date (2005-10-18) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

16. US7519391B2 - Apparatus and method for reducing latency for bandwidth requests in a broadband wireless access communication system

    • Full Citation: US7519391B2.
    • Publication Date: 2009-04-14.
    • Filing Date: 2004-12-16.
    • Brief Description: This patent focuses on reducing latency for bandwidth requests in broadband wireless systems through efficient signaling and allocation mechanisms.
    • Potential Anticipation: This directly addresses reducing latency for bandwidth requests, a key benefit of US8259688. If it achieves this through pre-assigned, identifiable codes that convey specific request details, it could potentially anticipate claims related to the processing and use of such codes for fast requests (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39). Its filing date (2004-12-16) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

17. US7590412B2 - Apparatus and method for reducing latency for bandwidth requests in a broadband wireless access communication system

    • Full Citation: US7590412B2.
    • Publication Date: 2009-09-15.
    • Filing Date: 2004-12-16.
    • Brief Description: This patent also focuses on reducing latency for bandwidth requests in broadband wireless systems, likely a related application to US7519391B2, addressing similar problems with potentially different specific implementations.
    • Potential Anticipation: Similar to US7519391B2, this reference's focus on reducing latency for bandwidth requests makes it highly relevant. If its method involves pre-assigned, uniquely identifying codes with specific request semantics to reduce multi-stage access, it could potentially anticipate claims related to US8259688's core invention (e.g., Claims 2, 3, 15-25, 30-39). Its filing date (2004-12-16) precedes the priority date of US8259688 (2006-09-01), making it prior art under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e).

Non-Patent Literature

1. IEEE 802.16-2004, "Part 16: Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems", Oct. 2004, sections 6.3.6 and 8.3.4.
   • Full Citation: IEEE 802.16-2004, "Part 16: Air Interface for Fixed Broadband Wireless Access Systems", Oct. 2004, sections 6.3.6 and 8.3.4.
   • Publication Date: October 2004.
   • Brief Description: This industry standard specifies the air interface for fixed broadband wireless access systems (WiMAX). Section 6.3.6 typically describes ranging procedures (initial and periodic), and Section 8.3.4 covers uplink bandwidth request mechanisms, including both contention-based and non-contention-based access. It defines the general framework for random access and resource requests in such systems.
   • Potential Anticipation: This standard is fundamental prior art for US8259688, as the patent explicitly operates within and improves upon an IEEE 802.16 context. It anticipates the general concept of random access channels, common usage types (ranging, bandwidth request, handover), and the use of pseudorandom codes (implicitly relevant to claims defining these contexts, such as Claim 1's "determining a set of random access codes," and claims related to usage types). However, for specific anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102, one would need to determine if IEEE 802.16-2004 explicitly discloses the pre-allocation of unique random access codes to individual subscriber stations such that the base station can identify the requester and the specific, detailed request solely from the received code, thereby avoiding the described multi-stage access and reducing collisions in the manner claimed by US8259688. If the standard primarily describes random selection from a shared pool for general usage types, then US8259688's specific pre-allocation mechanism would likely be considered novel.

To determine the obviousness of US patent 8259688 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, we will analyze the claims in light of prior art and the motivation a person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) would have had to combine or modify existing technologies. The previously identified primary prior art reference is the IEEE 802.16 Wireless Communication Standard.

1. Scope and Content of the Prior Art

The IEEE 802.16 Wireless Communication Standard, which predates the September 1, 2006, filing date of US8259688, describes key elements of wireless communication systems relevant to the patent.

• Random Access Channel (RAC): The standard specifies a random access channel over which wireless devices can send requests for resources [cite: "A wireless communication system includes a random access channel over which wireless devices can anonymously send requests for resources."].
• Pseudorandom Codes and Usage Types: It defines 256 distinct pseudorandom codes and four corresponding usage types for conveying information over the RAC, including initial ranging, periodic ranging, bandwidth request, and handover. Subscriber stations randomly select a code from the available group corresponding to a usage type for transmission [cite: "The IEEE 802.16 wireless communication standard specifies 256 distinct pseudorandom codes and four corresponding usage types for conveying information over a random access channel."].
• Anonymous Requests: In this system, a base station receiving a code over the RAC does not know the identity of the transmitting subscriber station; it can only identify the purpose of the request based on the code's group [cite: "The base station 110 a receiving the code over the random access channel does not yet know the identity of the transmitting subscriber station 130 a ."]. This leads to a multi-stage access process where the base station grants a small amount of bandwidth for the subscriber station to transmit specific details and identify itself, resulting in large associated latency [cite: "This multiple stage access has a large associated latency and is rather cumbersome for many transactions."].
• Collisions: The random selection process in the IEEE 802.16 standard also presents a finite probability of code collision when two or more subscriber stations select the same code, further increasing latency [cite: "Additionally, there is a finite probability of code collision, where two distinct subscriber stations 130 a and 130 b select the same code for transmission in the same instance of the random access channel."].
• Connection Identifiers (CIDs): For registered subscriber stations, the base station assigns a temporary identifier, a Connection Identifier (CID), for use in identifying the subscriber station to the base station for subsequent, scheduled communications [cite: "The base station 110 a assigns a temporary identifier to the subscriber station 130 a for use identifying the subscriber station 130 a to the base station 110 a . The temporary identifier can be referred to as a Connection Identifier (CID)."].

2. Differences Between the Prior Art and the Claims at Issue

The core difference between the claims of US8259688 and the IEEE 802.16 standard lies in the concept of pre-allocating random access codes to specific subscriber stations and, in some embodiments, associating distinct semantics with these codes. This contrasts with the IEEE 802.16 approach where codes are randomly selected from a pool, and the requester remains anonymous to the base station until further communication.

The independent claims (1, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15) all revolve around this pre-allocation mechanism and its operational benefits. For example, Claim 1 focuses on the base station assigning a selected allocatable code to a subscriber station, and Claim 6 on the base station receiving such a pre-allocated code and immediately determining the subscriber station's identity and request. Claims 14 and 15 describe the subscriber station's role in receiving, storing, and transmitting these pre-allocated codes.

3. Level of Ordinary Skill in the Art (POSA)

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) in the context of US8259688 would likely possess a Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or a related field, along with 3-5 years of experience in the design, development, or operation of wireless communication systems, particularly those adhering to established standards such as IEEE 802.16. This POSA would understand concepts of OFDMA, CDMA, random access protocols, resource allocation, and the challenges associated with network efficiency and latency in shared wireless media.

4. Motivation to Combine / Obviousness Analysis

A POSA, facing the limitations of the IEEE 802.16 standard's random access mechanism, would have clear motivations to modify the existing system to achieve the benefits described in US8259688.

Motivation based on known problems and existing solutions within the art:

1. Addressing Latency and Inefficiency in Multi-Stage Access: The IEEE 802.16 standard explicitly suffers from "large associated latency" due to the multi-stage access required to identify an anonymous subscriber station after an initial random access request [cite: "This multiple stage access has a large associated latency and is rather cumbersome for many transactions."]. A POSA would be motivated to reduce this latency and improve efficiency. Given that the standard already provides a mechanism for uniquely identifying registered subscriber stations through Connection Identifiers (CIDs) for scheduled communications, it would be an obvious design choice to extend this principle of unique, non-anonymous identification to the random access channel for these same registered subscriber stations.
2. Reducing Collision Probability: The "finite probability of code collision" in the standard's random selection scheme is another known drawback that a POSA would strive to mitigate [cite: "Additionally, there is a finite probability of code collision, where two distinct subscriber stations 130 a and 130 b select the same code for transmission in the same instance of the random access channel."]. Assigning unique codes to individual registered subscriber stations for specific access types would directly eliminate or drastically reduce this collision risk, thereby improving network throughput and responsiveness. This is a predictable outcome of assigning unique identifiers rather than allowing random selection from a shared pool.
3. Enhancing Informational Content of Requests: The IEEE 802.16 standard already categorizes random access codes by "usage types" (e.g., bandwidth request) [cite: "The four usage types include initial ranging, periodic ranging, bandwidth request, and handover."]. A POSA would recognize that by pre-allocating specific codes to individual registered subscriber stations, the base station could further refine the information conveyed by each code. It would be an obvious extension to associate more granular "semantics" with these dedicated codes (e.g., a specific bandwidth amount or a particular class of service request, such as for real-time traffic) [cite: "Each pre-allocated code can also have an associated semantic.", "The configuration module 220 can also pre-allocate multiple codes within the same usage type with each distinct code attached to a distinct semantic."]. This directly addresses the inefficiency of requiring subsequent messages to convey detailed request information.

Combination of References:

The invention claimed in US8259688 would be obvious to a POSA by combining the teachings of the IEEE 802.16 Wireless Communication Standard with general knowledge in the art regarding efficient network resource management and unique identification principles in wireless systems.

The POSA would combine:

• The established framework of a Random Access Channel (RAC) and the use of pseudorandom codes for different usage types (from IEEE 802.16).
• The known mechanism of assigning unique identifiers (CIDs) to registered subscriber stations for non-RAC communications (from IEEE 802.16).
• The general engineering desire to overcome the recognized problems of latency, collision, and limited information content inherent in the anonymous, randomly-selected code approach of the IEEE 802.16 RAC.

The motivation would be to leverage the existing capability of unique device identification (like CIDs) and apply it to the random access codes themselves for registered users. This modification would transform anonymous, contention-based random access into identified, potentially contention-free (for pre-allocated codes) access, leading to the predictable benefits of reduced latency and improved efficiency. The idea of adding specific semantics to dedicated identifiers is a natural progression from using general "usage types" to convey more detailed requests in a single transmission.

Conclusion for Independent Claims:

All independent claims (1, 6, 12, 13, 14, 15) of US8259688, which detail the process and apparatus for a base station to pre-allocate codes and a subscriber station to receive and use them, would be rendered obvious by this combination. The steps described are direct implementations of the logical modification a POSA would make to the IEEE 802.16 standard to address its known deficiencies using established principles of unique identification and streamlined communication.

Patent Term Adjustments (PTA)

US Patent 8259688 has an adjusted expiration date of 2030-05-22 due to Patent Term Adjustment (PTA). This is indicated on the Google Patents page for the patent, which states the legal status as "Active, expires 2030-05-22". [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US8259688](/patent/US8259688)/en]

PTA is granted to compensate patent applicants for delays caused by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) during the prosecution of a utility or plant patent application. These delays can include the USPTO failing to:

• Issue a first office action or notice of allowance within 14 months of filing.
• Respond to an applicant's reply within four months.
• Issue the patent within four months of payment of the issue fee.
• Issue a patent within three years of the actual filing date.

The overall PTA is calculated by summing various delays, with reductions for any delays caused by the applicant.

Patent Term Extensions (PTE)

There is no indication that US Patent 8259688 has received a Patent Term Extension (PTE). PTEs are typically granted for patents on certain human drug products, medical devices, animal drug products, and food or color additive products to restore patent term lost while awaiting premarket regulatory approval from a government agency. Since US8259688 is related to wireless communication systems, it would generally not be eligible for a PTE.

Continuation, Divisional, and Related Family Members

US Patent 8259688 claims priority to application number US11/469,794, filed on September 1, 2006. [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en] The patent also lists other priority applications, including:

• EP10189288.3A (priority date 2007-08-03) [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• PCT/US2007/075212 (priority date 2007-08-03) [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US13/180,135 (priority date 2011-07-11), which issued as US8229437B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US13/565,405 (priority date 2012-08-02), which issued as US8532052B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US13/957,173 (priority date 2013-08-01), which issued as US9332572B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US14/831,525 (priority date 2015-08-20), which issued as US9226320B1 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US14/854,747 (priority date 2015-09-15), which issued as US9380607B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US15/193,988 (priority date 2016-06-27), which issued as US10805131B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US16/151,252 (priority date 2018-10-03), which issued as US10985956B2 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]
• US17/235,384 (priority date 2021-04-20), which published as US20210243060A1 [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en]

These indicate that US8259688 is part of a larger patent family, with multiple continuation applications (e.g., US13/180,135, US13/565,405, etc.) claiming priority back to the initial filing date of US11/469,794. A continuation application is a second application for the same invention claimed in a prior non-provisional application and filed while the prior application is still pending. Divisional applications arise from restriction requirements when the USPTO determines that an application claims more than one invention. The provided information does not explicitly state whether any of the listed applications are divisional applications, but they are clearly related family members.

Projected Expiration Date

The adjusted expiration date for US Patent 8259688 is 2030-05-22. [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8259688/en] This date includes any Patent Term Adjustment granted to compensate for USPTO delays during prosecution. The statutory patent term is generally 20 years from the earliest non-provisional filing date. The initial filing date for US8259688's priority application was September 1, 2006. Therefore, without any adjustments, the patent would have expired on September 1, 2026. The PTA has extended its life by approximately 3 years and 8 months.