DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to communications filed on January 12, 2026. Claims 1, 11, 21, and 26 have been amended. Claims 4, 14, 23, and 28 have been canceled. Claims 1, 3, 5-11, 13, 15-21, 24-26, and 29-34 are pending in the application.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 11, 13, 15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baldemair et al. (US 2020/0244418) in view of Xu et al. (WO 2018/126792, see attached translation) and Yang et al. (US 2020/0044796).
Regarding Claim 11, Baldemair teaches an apparatus for wireless communication, comprising a transceiver, a memory configured to store instructions, and one or more processors communicatively coupled with the transceiver and the memory (“FIG. 8 schematically shows a radio node, in particular a terminal or wireless device 10, which may in particular be implemented as a UE (User Equipment)” – See [0080]; “the concepts and aspects presented herein may also be embodied in a program product as well as in a system comprising control circuitry, e.g. a computer processor and a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory is encoded with one or more programs or program products that execute the services, functions and steps disclosed herein” – See [0149]), wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
determine a first timing advance for transmitting data communications to a network node (“the first signaling may be in uplink … Transmitting the first signaling and/or the second signaling may be based on a timing advance command and/or value, which may be configured, e.g. by a radio node like a network node … a first timing advance value for the first signaling” – See [0009]; The UE receives a timing advance command and determines a first timing advance value for transmitting first signaling, wherein the first signaling is uplink (transmitting data communications to a network node));
determine a second timing advance for transmitting a signal to the other user equipment (“the second signaling in sidelink … Transmitting the first signaling and/or the second signaling may be based on a timing advance command and/or value, which may be configured, e.g. by a radio node like a network node … a second timing advance value for the second signaling” – See [0009]; “Transmitting in sidelink may pertain to (direct) transmission from one terminal to another” – See [0100]; The UE also determines a second timing advance value for transmitting second signaling, wherein the second signaling is sidelink (transmitting a signal to another user equipment));
transmit, based on the first timing advance, the data communications to the network node (As shown above, the UE transmits uplink data using the first timing advance); and
transmit, based on the second timing advance, the signal to the other user equipment (As shown above, the UE transmits the sidelink communications to another UE using the second timing advance).
Baldemair does not explicitly teach that the signal to the other user equipment is a reference signal to the other user equipment for cross link interference measurement. Baldemair does not teach receiving, from the network node, a configuration including information based on which the apparatus determines a reception timing, configured for other user equipment for downlink communications transmitted to the other user equipment, wherein the other user equipment is served by a different network node, and wherein the second timing advance is based at least in part on reception timing.
However, Xu teaches that the signal to the other user equipment is a reference signal to the other user equipment for cross link interference measurement (“For example, the SRS is used for cross-link interference measurement” – See [0424]; “the interfering UE sends a reference signal for measurement. Therefore, the transmitting UE herein is an interfering UE. UE 1-1 in FIG. 6” – See [0297]; “the victim UE receives the reference signal sent by the interfering UE, and performs measurement. Therefore, the measurement UE herein is a victim UE. UE 2-1 in FIG. 6” – See [0298]; UE1-1 (user equipment) transmits an SRS (reference signal) to UE2-1 (other user equipment) for cross-link interference measurement),
wherein the user equipment receives, from the network node, a configuration including information based on which the user equipment determines a reception timing, configured for other user equipment for downlink communications transmitted to the other user equipment, wherein the other user equipment is served by a different network node, and wherein the second timing advance is based at least in part on reception timing (“the downlink receiving UE is subjected to cross-link interference of an adjacent uplink sending UE, and the measurement result after measurement may be used to reduce cross-link interference for downlink reception of the UE by other UEs” – See [0295]; “a new timing advance signaling word is introduced: a cross-link timing advance command (CLI-TA, cross link interference-timing advance) is used to carry information of cross-link timing offset to perform cross-link timing alignment, thereby solving the problem of cross-link synchronization. The base station instructs the UE to adjust the uplink transmission timing through the CLI-TA” – See [0433]; “The neighboring UE sends the SRS on the ZP-SRS resource of the UE” – See [0440]; “the base station of the neighboring UE generates a cross-link timing advance command (CLI-TA), and notifies the neighboring UE of the CLI-TA. For example, the DCI or the MAC CE is used. Preferably, the cross-link timing advance command CLI-TA is carried through the MAC CE. Optionally, the neighboring UE adjusts its own uplink transmission timing based on the received CLI-TA” – See [0451]; See also Fig. 6; The UE1-1/neighboring UE (user equipment) receives, from the base station (network node), a CLI-TA (configuration information that the neighboring UE uses to determine a reception timing for downlink communications transmitted to the other user equipment), and the neighboring UE adjusts its transmission timing of the SRS (second timing advance) based on the CLI-TA. As further shown in Fig. 6, UE1-1/neighboring UE (user equipment) and UE2-2 (other user equipment) are served by respectively different base stations gNB1 and gNB 2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baldemair such that the signal to the other user equipment is a reference signal to the other user equipment for cross link interference measurement, and wherein the user equipment receives, from the network node, a configuration including information based on which the user equipment determines a reception timing, configured for other user equipment for downlink communications transmitted to the other user equipment, wherein the other user equipment is served by a different network node, and wherein the second timing advance is based at least in part on reception timing. Motivation for doing so would be to perform cross link timing alignment, thereby solving the problem of cross link synchronization (See Xu, [0433]).
Baldemair does not explicitly teach that the reference signal is transmitted, in one symbol, as a reference signal sequence with a cyclic prefix added at the beginning of the reference signal sequence.
However, Yang teaches that the reference signal is transmitted, in one symbol, as a reference signal sequence with a cyclic prefix added at the beginning of the reference signal sequence (“the length of the uplink/downlink RS and the length of the CP within one symbol are dynamically adjusted so that at least one of RS interference or data channel interference is avoided or reduced to a certain extent” – See [0184]; “A specific CP is introduced in a reference signal symbol of device 1 (as shown in FIG. 19)” – See [0208]; “A reference signal includes: … a sounding reference signal (SRS)” – See [0149]; The reference signal is transmitted in one symbol, with a cyclic prefix at the beginning of the sequence/symbol).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baldemair such that the reference signal is transmitted, in one symbol, as a reference signal sequence with a cyclic prefix added at the beginning of the reference signal sequence. Motivation for doing so would be to avoid RS and data channel interference (See Yang, [0184]).
Regarding Claim 13, Baldemair in view of Xu and Yang teaches the apparatus of Claim 11. Xu further teaches that the one or more processors are configured to transmit the reference signal based at least in part on the received configuration from the network node (“the base station of the neighboring UE generates a cross-link timing advance command (CLI-TA), and notifies the neighboring UE of the CLI-TA. For example, the DCI or the MAC CE is used. Preferably, the cross-link timing advance command CLI-TA is carried through the MAC CE. Optionally, the neighboring UE adjusts its own uplink transmission timing based on the received CLI-TA” – See [0451]; The transmission timing for the cross link interference reference signal is based on the CLI-TA (configuration) received from the base station).
Regarding Claim 15, Baldemair in view of Xu and Yang teaches the apparatus of Claim 11. Baldemair further teaches that the first timing advance is equal to the second timing advance, wherein the one or more processors are configured to transmit the communications to the network node and transmit the reference signal to the other user equipment as aligned in time (“the first and second timing advance values may be equal” – See [0009]; The first and second timing advances are equal, such that the transmission timings of the uplink signals to the network node and the reference signal to the other UE are aligned in time).
Regarding Claim 20, Baldemair in view of Xu and Yang teaches the apparatus of Claim 11. Xu further teaches that transmitting data communications and transmitting the reference signal are multiplexed at one of a slot-level, mini-slot-level, or symbol-level granularity (“Measurement pattern configuration information is used to indicate a time-frequency pattern of a gNB measurement RS (CSI-RS), such as which symbols of a subframe/slot and which REs measure a reference signal” – See [0254]; The multiplexing is performed at a slot/symbol level).
Claims 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baldemair et al. (US 2020/0244418) in view of Xu et al. (WO 2018/126792, see attached translation) and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2016/0338050).
Regarding Claim 16, Baldemair in view of Xu and Yang teaches the apparatus of Claim 11. Baldemair, Xu, and Yang do not explicitly teach that the one or more processors are configured to transmit the reference signal based on a number of repetitions in consecutive transmission time intervals.
However, Kim teaches transmitting the reference signal based on a number of repetitions in consecutive transmission time intervals (“receiving an SRS transmission parameter configured for repeated transmission of an SRS from a base station; and repeatedly transmitting an SRS during a predetermined SRS repeated transmission interval according to the SRS transmission parameter” – See Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baldemair such that transmitting the reference signal comprises transmitting the reference signal based on a number of repetitions in consecutive transmission time intervals. Motivation for doing so would be to improve performance of channel estimation through combining SRSs (See Kim, [0208]).
Regarding Claim 17, Baldemair in view of Xu, Yang, and Kim teaches the apparatus of Claim 16. Kim further teaches that the configuration indicates the number of repetitions (“the eNB may set the number of repeated SRS transmission times and the SRS repeat transmission interval” – See [0230]).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baldemair et al. (US 2020/0244418) in view of Xu et al. (WO 2018/126792, see attached translation) and Yang et al. (US 2020/0044796) and further in view of Song et al. (WO 2019/028867, see attached translation).
Regarding Claim 19, Baldemair in view of Xu and Yang teaches the apparatus of Claim 11. Baldemair, Xu, and Yang do not explicitly teach that the second timing advance is based at least in part on a distance between the network node and the different network node.
However, Song teaches that the second timing advance is based at least in part on a distance between the network node and the different network node (“Taking the scenario shown in FIG. 1 as an example, assuming that the coverage of the network device TRP 2 for downlink transmission is DC meters, the coverage range here refers to half of the distance between the two network devices, TADJUST = DC/C, where C is the optical speed. Thus, the transmit timing of the measurement RS is denoted as Tinitial + Tadjust” – See [0075]; TADJUST (second timing advance) is based on DC, which is half of the distance between the network node and the different network node).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Baldemair such that the second timing advance is based at least in part on a distance between the network node and the different network node. Motivation for doing so would be to determine the timing advance based on a maximum propagation delay, since the propagation delay can be determined based on a range/distance between the network nodes (See Song, [0070], [0075]).
Response to Arguments
On pages 8-9 of the remarks, Applicant argues in substance that independent claims 1, 11, 21, and 26 are allowable after incorporating the subject matter of dependent claims 4, 14, 23, and 28, respectively. However, independent claim 11 did not incorporate the subject matter of allowable dependent claim 14 in its entirety. This broader claim has been rejected based on Baldemair, Xu, and the newly-cited Yang reference.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3, 5-10, 21, 24-26, and 29-34 are allowed.
Claim 18 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Scott M Sciacca whose telephone number is (571)270-1919. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday, 7:30 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached at (571) 272-3905. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SCOTT M SCIACCA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Prosecution Insights