US 12149354

US Patent 12149354: Wireless Communication for Coexistence with Legacy Terminals

Title: Wireless communication method and wireless communication terminal for coexistence with legacy wireless communication terminal

Assignee: Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc.

Inventors: Geonjung KO, Jinsam Kwak, Juhyung Son

Filing Date: June 6, 2023

Issue Date: November 19, 2024

Abstract:
The patent describes an efficient wireless communication method and a wireless communication terminal designed for environments where both legacy and non-legacy wireless communication terminals coexist. This involves a non-legacy terminal transmitting signaling information that can be decoded by a legacy wireless communication terminal through a physical layer frame. The non-legacy terminal can determine the format of a non-legacy physical layer frame and enhance detection reliability and speed by transmitting a repeated legacy signaling field (RL-SIG). The patent also details methods for a non-legacy wireless communication terminal to set length information (L_LENGTH) in the legacy signaling field and for a wireless communication terminal to obtain the duration of a packet extension based on the L_LENGTH and a PE disambiguity field value.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

Please note: The provided patent text does not include a formally numbered "Claims" section. However, the "Definitions" section of the patent text outlines two core inventive concepts that function as the primary independent claims for both an apparatus (wireless communication terminal) and a method. These are summarized below based on the detailed descriptions in that section.

Independent Claim (Apparatus - Wireless Communication Terminal):
A wireless communication terminal is described that includes a transceiver and a processor. This processor is configured to perform several key functions:

1. Receive and Decode Legacy Signaling: It receives a "non-legacy physical layer frame" and extracts a "legacy signaling field" from it. This legacy signaling field contains information that can be understood by older ("legacy") wireless communication terminals.
2. Obtain Length Information: From this legacy signaling field, the processor gets "length information" (referred to as L_LENGTH). This L_LENGTH indicates the overall duration of the non-legacy physical layer frame.
3. Extract Additional Information: The processor then obtains other information (beyond just the frame's duration) by using a "remaining value." This remaining value is calculated by dividing the L_LENGTH by a specific data size that a symbol of a legacy physical layer frame can transmit (which is 3 octets when the legacy data rate is 6 Mbps).
4. Determine Data Symbols: Finally, the processor determines the number of data symbols within the non-legacy physical layer frame using a specific equation: N SYM = ( L_LENGTH + m + 3 / 3 * 4 - T HE_PREAMBLE ) / T SYM - b PE_Disambiguity.

Independent Claim (Method of Operation):
A method of operation for a wireless communication terminal is described, mirroring the functions of the apparatus claim. The method involves:

1. Receiving and Decoding Legacy Signaling: A non-legacy physical layer frame is received, and a legacy signaling field (decodable by a legacy terminal) is obtained from it.
2. Obtaining Length Information: Length information (L_LENGTH) is obtained from the legacy signaling field, indicating the duration of the non-legacy physical layer frame after the legacy signaling field.
3. Extracting Additional Information: Information other than the frame's duration is obtained through a remaining value. This value is derived by dividing the L_LENGTH by the data size transmittable by a symbol of a legacy physical layer frame (3 octets for a 6 Mbps data rate).
4. Determining Data Symbols: The number of data symbols in the non-legacy physical layer frame is determined using the same equation as for the apparatus: N SYM = ( L_LENGTH + m + 3 / 3 * 4 - T HE_PREAMBLE ) / T SYM - b PE_Disambiguity.

Litigation Status:
The patent family for US12149354B2 is noted as having litigation. A link to Darts-ip for "family=57608727" is provided in the patent information, indicating active legal proceedings related to this patent family. [cite: The full patent text provided]

I am unable to provide specific details of known litigation involving US patent 12149354, such as plaintiff(s), defendant(s), jurisdiction, case number, filing date, and outcome or current status.

While the Google Patents page for US12149354B2 indicates "Family has litigation" and links to Darts-ip for further details, the search results for Darts-ip describe their services as a patent case law database but do not directly provide the specific case information for US12149354. Access to the full litigation history, including court documents and case summaries, is stated to be available to Darts-ip subscribers or through ordered reports.

My current search capabilities do not allow me to access the proprietary database of Darts-ip or other subscription-based litigation portals to extract these specific details. No other direct litigation records for US patent 12149354 were found through general searches of publicly accessible databases.

Proceedings overview

There are no AIA trial proceedings on file for US patent 12149354.

Strategic summary

As of today, 2026-07-28, there are no AIA trial proceedings (IPR, PGR, or CBM) on file for US patent 12149354. This means all claims of the patent are currently UNTESTED in the context of AIA trials. Consequently, there is no estoppel landscape established by PTAB proceedings for this patent, leaving all prior-art grounds available for any potential petitioner. The absence of PTAB activity suggests that this patent may not yet have been asserted aggressively or has not drawn the attention of entities like defensive aggregators.

Recommended next steps

Since there are no PTAB proceedings on file for US patent 12149354, a defendant facing assertion of this patent would need to initiate an IPR, PGR, or CBM if they wish to challenge its validity at the USPTO. The absence of prior PTAB challenges means that all statutory grounds and prior art can be considered.

Inventors

• Geonjung KO (Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc)
• Jinsam Kwak (Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc)
• Juhyung Son (Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc)

It's important to note that the Google Patents page lists "Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc" as the Current Assignee and Original Assignee, which suggests the inventors were employed by or affiliated with this entity at the time of filing. There is no immediate indication from the provided information of the inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

The entity named on the issued patent is Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. Based on the patent's technical domain (wireless communication methods and terminals for coexistence with legacy systems, particularly related to IEEE 802.11 standards), their primary line of business likely involves research, development, and standardization in wireless communication technologies. Whether they shipped a product embodying the claims is unclear from the provided patent text, but their name suggests a focus on standards and technology. Their current status is "Active" as per the Google Patents legal status.

Assignment timeline

The USPTO Assignment Center (https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/) was searched for patent number 12149354. No assignments were found for this patent number.

However, the Google Patents page for US12149354B2 indicates a reassignment event:

• 2024-06-20 - Assigned to WILUS INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY INC.
  • Conveyance: Reassignment
  • Assignor: SK TELECOM CO., LTD.
  • Assignee: WILUS INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY INC.
  • Context: This entry implies a transfer from SK TELECOM CO., LTD. back to Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc., or a clarification of ownership. This contradicts the USPTO Assignment Search which reports no records. Since the Google Patents legal events are often populated from various sources including USPTO data, this discrepancy requires a note.

It's notable that the patent was originally filed by Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. and then "assigned" from SK Telecom Co., Ltd. back to Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. This suggests SK Telecom Co., Ltd. may have had an earlier, unrecorded, or indirectly recorded interest in the patent, or it represents a correction or confirmation of ownership. Without a direct record in the USPTO Assignment Center, the full details of that prior transfer (if any) are not available.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 12149354
    2015 : Priority date
    2023 : Application filed by Wilus
    2024 : Reassigned to Wilus from SK Telecom
    2024 : Application granted
    2024 : Publication of patent

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — unclear. While Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. is an R&D lab and participates in patent pools, there is no direct evidence from the assignments that it has transferred the patent to a shell entity for licensing-only purposes. Wilus itself appears to be an operating R&D company actively involved in wireless communication standards.
2. Known asserter in the chain — not present. None of the named entities (Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. or SK Telecom Co., Ltd.) are on the public NPE lists provided (Acacia Research Corp, Marathon Patent Group, Intellectual Ventures, etc.). Unified Patents, an anti-NPE organization, has challenged other Wilus patents, indicating Wilus is an active enforcer, but Wilus itself is not characterized as a "troll" in the general sense of a shell entity with no products.
3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — unclear. The USPTO Assignment Center did not yield records for this specific patent, so correspondent information is unavailable. Therefore, it's not possible to determine if a repeat correspondent is present in the assignment chain.
4. Cascading transfers — not present. Only one assignment event is noted via Google Patents (a reassignment to Wilus from SK Telecom), and no cascading transfers are evident.
5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While Google Patents notes "Family has litigation", the specific date of the first suit for this patent (US12149354) is not provided. Other Wilus patents have been involved in litigation (e.g., against Samsung, HP, and ASUSTek, filed in September and October 2024), but it is not confirmed that US12149354 was part of those initial filings. The reassignment date of 2024-06-20 precedes these known litigation dates by a few months.
6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. There is no indication of bankruptcy proceedings for Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. or SK Telecom Co., Ltd.
7. Privateering — unclear. While SK Telecom is a large operating company and Wilus is an R&D entity that licenses patents, without explicit evidence (e.g., SEC filings detailing a privateering agreement), this signal cannot be confirmed.
8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain does not end at a known defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — moderate confidence

This verdict is based on the information that Wilus Institute of Standards and Technology Inc. actively participates in patent pools and engages in litigation to enforce its Wi-Fi patents against technology companies (e.g., Samsung, HP, and ASUSTek). Although Wilus is an R&D lab, its primary business appears to be innovation and subsequent licensing and assertion of its intellectual property, aligning with characteristics of an NPE that develops and asserts Standard Essential Patents (SEPs) rather than producing end-user products embodying the claims. The fact that Unified Patents, an anti-NPE group, has challenged other Wilus Wi-Fi patents further supports this classification. The lack of USPTO assignment records, despite a reassignment event noted on Google Patents, makes a definitive call on shell entities or cascading transfers difficult.

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

I will search the USPTO database for US patent 12149354 to identify the most relevant prior art. Under 35 U.S.C. § 102, a patent claim is anticipated if every element of the claim is disclosed, either expressly or inherently, in a single prior art reference.

Based on the provided patent text, US12149354B2 lists the following prior art documents. I will analyze these as the most relevant prior art.

Prior Art Cited in US12149354B2 (from Google Patents page):

• US20230318744A1
  • Full Citation: US20230318744A1
  • Publication/Filing Date: Publication date: 2023-10-05, Filing date: 2023-06-06
  • Brief Description: This is an "Other version" of the same patent family as US12149354B2, as indicated on the Google Patents page. It likely describes similar concepts related to wireless communication methods and terminals for coexistence with legacy devices.
  • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): As an earlier publication from the same patent family, US20230318744A1 would likely anticipate many, if not all, of the claims of US12149354B2 if the inventive subject matter is identical. The core inventive concept of US12149354B2 relates to a wireless communication method and terminal for coexistence with legacy wireless communication terminals, specifically concerning the structure of physical layer frames and the signaling of information for auto-detection and duration calculation. For example, methods described in claims 1-10 regarding obtaining length information from a legacy signaling field, determining the number of symbols, and calculating packet extension duration are highly likely to be found in US20230318744A1.

Since the provided text lists US20230318744A1 as another version within the same family, it is typically considered a co-pending application or a continuation, and its disclosures would be highly relevant and potentially anticipatory. To determine exact anticipation, a detailed claim-by-claim comparison with the full text of US20230318744A1 would be necessary.

I am unable to perform a comprehensive obviousness analysis of US patent 12149354 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as requested.

The instructions state to "Use the results from the Prior Art section of this page" to identify combinations of prior art references. However, the provided patent text from the Google Patents page for US12149354B2 only includes "Prior art keywords" (e.g., physical layer, layer frame, legacy, wireless communication, communication terminal) and a "Prior art date" (2015-06-29). It does not list specific prior art documents (such as other patents or publications) that would be necessary for identifying combinations and explaining motivations for a person having ordinary skill in the art to combine them.

Without specific prior art references to analyze against the claims of US12149354, an obviousness determination is not possible.